Weather for Ducks
by Bram Zellie
Summary: If I thought his eyes had been burning before, they were nothing to the pair that now stared at me. Now this, was an attraction. Pure, lust driven, wham-bam-thank you ma'am, attraction. And boy was I in way over my head.
1. Chapter One

There were a bunch of dudes in my seat when I came back from the restroom.

And I mean BIG dudes.

They looked slightly hilarious, all crammed into the booth and trying to accommodate themselves to the dingy, off blue coloured, plastic chairs that they had pulled over in an attempt to fit more of them around the tiny table. The sight would have been even funnier, if not for the fact that my bag, with all the belongings I owned in the world, was jammed against the window on the inside of the booth. A girl leaves for a few minutes to make sure she doesn't completely look like death, and someone steals her seat.

Chivalry must be dead in this beat up old town.

Deciding that I really needed my belongings, and the bottle of vodka that had been calling my name all morning, I made my way back to my seat and lone cup of half-drained, cold coffee that was still on the table. Their voices were almost deafening; all talking over one another as if they were afraid they would be lost or forgotten if they didn't speak as loudly as possible. My hands were beginning to shake with withdrawals, otherwise I would have found some way to occupy myself rather than confront the group of giants.

And they were giants.

They were all easily above six feet tall and covered in muscles. I could pick out a gang a mile away and, if I had bene planning on staying in this dingy place rather than just passing through, I would be making nice rather than preparing myself to tell them off. They were obviously gym rats, probably lived for lifting weights and intimidating anyone who was less fortunate and anatomically gifted than they clearly were. I doubt anyone else would even attempt to take these streets over this bunch. Well, street. It was actually amusing to think that a place this small would have such an impressive gang; they would do so much better in Detroit or Philly. Instead they were held up here, surrounded by trees and rain and all other kinds of natural bullshit.

"Yo," I greeted, approaching the table and trying to raise my voice loud enough to be heard over their chatter. One or two noticed me and I chose the less confused looking one to communicate with. "Mind passing a gal her shit before you pee all over it to mark your territory."

That sure got their attention as the chatter died down and I was met with blank faces and slightly hostile glares. I suddenly felt self-conscious of my matted hair and I probably stank; I hadn't managed to grab a shower in a while and I'm sure my jacket smelt like the sole of a hoe's shoe. Nevertheless, I needed my god damn bag.

"I was sitting here, you know," I supplied, when no one seemed to move towards passing me out my belongings. I suddenly felt very small, but knew from experience that you can't let them see your fear. You gotta have an attitude in this big bad world. "Unless the steroids have completely killed all four of your brain cells, think you could manage to locate and retrieve that black duffel?"

"And who the hell are you?" Was the answering growl from the guy on my right. It was a shame that most of these guys were pretty hot, which meant they would feel even more entitled to everything.

"Mary-fucking-Poppins," I responded, holding his gaze and crossing my arms. The shakes were really starting to get bad. "I just want my shit and then I'll be out of your hair."

That seemed to satisfy a few of them, and my bag was lifted out of it's hiding place and pushed along the table. The clang of a glass was obvious but none of them seemed to care. A few of them threw the bags looks, however, and I swear a handful of them actually _sniffed_ the air like they were some kind of animal.

"I know a shrink," I responded, letting my mouth run away with me yet again as I reached across for my bag, twinging my shoulder slightly. "He's great for obsessions."

"Why would I need a shrink?" This was Mr Angry again, but by God, he had a beautiful voice. The kind that would make you pay double for whatever he was selling.

"For being a dick," I responded, struggling under the weight of my own bag. Damn, I had a lot of shit. "And for feeling the need to _sniff_ people."

I was gone before I gave them a chance to respond, pushing my way out the glass door of the diner and deciding that the side of the carpark attached was private enough for a drink and a smoke. I should really only choose one or the other, but I was coming down hard from the night before, and that bus ride hadn't done me any favours. With a hit already rolled, my hands struggled for a second to uncap the bottle of vodka.

The burn was heaven. And the joint lit easily enough, despite the wind. Thankfully, it was a dry afternoon. Otherwise I'd be forced to drink in the rain. Not that I minded, by it would take my clothes ages to dry out again. The air was still damp though, and the smell clung around me thicker than I would like. I'd run out of my cheap ass perfume back in Seattle, so it was going to get harder to cover whatever stench would cling to me. Sometimes it was booze, sometimes it was drugs, sometimes it was bodily fluids. But usually the ninety-nine cents bottle of shit that I'd bought covered it enough that it wasn't too overwhelming. I'd have to try nick something soon if I wanted to be able to get onto the next bus. While I wasn't against pulling tricks for whatever I needed, I doubt I'd get enough out of this town for a bus fare and some perfume.

So engrossed in my own thoughts that I missed the bell ringing from the diner door, or the approaching footsteps. I was pulled from my financial thoughts when the joint was ripped from my hand. I almost dropped the bottle of clear liquid and it took me a second to realise what had happened. When it did hit me, I was on my feet in a second, glaring up at one of the seat stealing assholes.

"That's illegal," he growled, eyebrows pulled together in a frown.

I smirked in response, raising the bottle to my lips and downing another straight mouthful. It burned the whole way down, but the shakes had finally subsided. Most of the time I couldn't tell what I was withdrawing from, but vodka was usually the number one cure for all ailments. Plus, it was a great cleanser for any cuts, stab wounds, or broken skin prone to infection.

"And you just cost me a joint," I responded, my voice and stature far less intimidating than his. God damn steroid pushing gym rats. "So, you steal drugs as well as seats. I really gotta be part of your crew."

"Excuse me? You better watch your mouth," he took a step forward in what I assume was meant to be an intimidating move, but all it did was flare up the attraction I had felt earlier. Oooh, and angry sex was usually so much fun.

"Or what?" I asked, becoming a little more relaxed now that I realised he wasn't immediately prone to violence. Whether that lasted was another matter, but at least for now I felt relatively safe. "You gonna pop me in the mouth, big boy?"

"I could smell it from a mile away," he continued, ignoring my jab at him. To be fair, a barely five-foot-tall, less than one hundred pounds blonde with blood matting her hair and the beginning of dreadlocks caked to the back of her head was probably not the most intimidating thing ever. "We don't want the likes of you here."

"The likes of me?" I questioned, getting slightly ticked off now. Could he just chill for a second? "And what would I be exactly?"

"Trouble."

"Oooh, I'm getting excited now," I giggled, taking another swig but keeping my eyes on him. No sooner had the bottle left my lips than that too was taken from me. "Hey!"

"It's four o clock in the afternoon," Was the response, followed by the smash of glass as the bottle was hurled into the nearby trash can.

"That cost money, you dickhead," I screeched, starting to really get pissed. First, he ruins my buzz, and now he's after destroying a twenty-dollar bottle of vodka. Fair enough, I hadn't actually bought it, but by God I'd sucked some dick for it.

"You can thank me later," was his answer and a smug look on his face. I wanted to smack him so bad but knew that would probably result in nothing but a sore hand on my part.

"Listen," he continued, now looking slightly sheepish and running his hand through the back of his short hair. "I know a place if you want to clean up."

"Are you coming on to me?" I asked directly, my eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. I mean, he did just destroy a perfectly good joint and a bottle of booze.

"What? No, I- "

"Cause I'm gonna need some green if you are," I continued, not specifying whether that green would be drugs or cash. I wasn't entirely picky at this point. "But I'm on the next long haul bus outta here."

"I was just offering a hot shower and maybe some food," He growled, his arms beginning to shake slightly. I braced myself for the beating I knew was to come. I really needed to stop running my mouth and learn to stay shut sometimes.

"Listen," I took a step back, though I was still within arms reach for a dude with impossibly long limbs. "I don't do charity, trades, or freebies."

"This isn't charity; I'm just offering you my place to clean up before you head on your way," he argued, though I was impressed by how he was managing to hold back his temper. I did love a hot head. "Besides, I have a thing for strays."

"Strays?" I tested, wondering where this sudden change of thought had come from. First, he was ragging on me about my activities like some old dad, and now he was offering me the chance to get naked at his place. Granted, it was in the shower, but it still counted as being naked.

"Just get in the truck," he growled, and turned on his heel, striding out into the parking lot at a speed I could never hope to reach.

Without a second thought, and not knowing when I might get my next offer of a shower, I grabbed my bag and followed him to the black pick up. It looked suspiciously second hand, but well looked after and, once I was comfortably seated on the passenger side, was greeted with the pleasant scent of woods and something that was specifically male. I was going to have a hard time keeping my hands to myself if his house smelt anything like his truck. The engine started surprisingly smoothly and we were pulling out of the parking lot a moment later, his hand relaxed on the steering wheel.

"So, where are you from?" He asked, tone casual but I could sense the curiosity there.

"Sorry buddy," I replied, leaning back against the door and turning to face him. "I don't do the whole 'tell me your life story deal'. My name is Annie, that's all you need to know."

"Annie?" He repeated, snorting in disbelief. Yeah, I didn't think I looked like an Annie, but it was an alias I hadn't used in a while and wanted to return to it, for nostalgic reasons.

"Yes, and? Are you making fun of my name hot shot?" I countered, managing to send a kick to his shin across the cab. He didn't even shift even though I landed a direct hit.

"Hot shot?" his laughter grew louder for a moment before his face grew serious again. It didn't suit him; he looked better when he was laughing. "My name's Paul, though I do like hot shot."

"Paulie it is then," I responded, raising my fists in front of my face. "You coulda been a contender!"

We traded increasingly peculiar movie references as we bundled along the road, laughing at one another's attempts of impressions. The time passed quickly, something that made me feel a little uneasy when I realised it. Paulie had a great sense of humour, and I knew that if this were a gang situation, he would most likely be the one I latched onto for my main sources. And I was probably treading on dangerous territory, knowing that he was an attractive man and, without all the blood and mess caked onto me, I was an attractive woman. It made sitting next to him slightly uncomfortable, though I knew how to play the game well and he never suspected a thing. That is until we pulled up to the beautiful house surrounded by woods and my mouth fell open.

It had been difficult to see it from the road, but we pulled up outside a quaint, red home. A porch wrapped around what looked like the entire perimeter of the house, and the windows were a dark wood, offset against the stark white, although weather-beaten, front door. It was cute in a way, though showed very little signs of a female touch; there was no blanket or matching cushions on the front swing, or flower pots on the window sills. The yard was well maintained but lacked the colour of flower beds. I was intrigued by the tire swing on the larger tree at the side of the house, but deduced that the kid, whoever it was, would definitely not be in the house. I've met some crazy people in my life, but none crazy enough to bring a stranger into a home with a child. Even some of the girls I picked up tricks with always dropped their kids off somewhere else before bringing anyone back.

"Nice place," I complimented, aware that Paulie's attention was now on me that the engine had stopped.

"Thanks, took a lot of work but I'm pretty proud," he replied, but I could tell that he was trying to hold back some of his pride. It made him less attractive in my opinion; I preferred the type of guy who knew what he had and wasn't afraid to show it. But, it was lucky he was such a looker. It made up for his bizarre personality.

"Wanna give me the grand tour?" I mocked, grabbing my bag and popping open the door of the truck. We met at the front by the hood, and I was aware that his stance had shifted. His shoulders were now raised, arms tight by his side. I guess he was nervous; probably worried that I'd rob him or something.

"Follow me," was his response and he took off towards the door, his large strides carrying him further than I could manage at a walking pace. But I took my time, assessing the house as we drew closer. While the tire swing still freaked me out a little, the silence in the house once we entered assured me that there were no children present.

"The shower is in the ensuite," he continued, bypassing most of the house in favour of showing me towards the bedroom. The front door opened onto a large space that I deduced was the living room. There was an archway on the opposite wall that seemed to lead into a kitchen. But we veered right, down a long hallway to the door at the end.

We entered into a large master bedroom that was decorated in cool shades of white and grey, with a large wooden bed that had a drift wood headboard. It was charming in a way; different from the metal cots that seemed to be the standard in most city apartments and motels. The window had been left open, and the smell of woods and oncoming rain drifted past the sheer curtains. It was strange, but the room was gorgeous and immensely calming. The furniture all looked old and slightly beaten, the wood all stained white. But, it was charming and the matress was immensely soft when I flopped back onto it, dropping my bag to the ground.

"Hey, I just changed the sheets," Paulie argued, his anger appearing again. "At least clean yourself up first."

"Fine," I responded, standing and reaching for the bottom of my top.

"At least wait until I'm gone!" Was his response as he rushed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

I giggled and continued to undress, leaving my clothing in a pile on the floor. The breeze chilled my skin slightly, causing goosebumps to raise. I crossed my arms over my chest and moved towards the set of drawers to raid them for clothing I could put on after my shower. Since he was obviously much larger than my small frame, I did with a long-sleeved, checked button-down shirt. I had clean underwear in my bag and grabbed those too.

The shower was maddening, with buttons and dials everywhere. But I managed to eventually get it working. The only towel was hanging on a metal rail behind the door. It probably belonged to Paulie, but beggers really can't be chosers. Although it had been confusing, the shower was well worth it, and the weight of the pounding water against my back was pleasantly relaxing. There were only two bottles on the shelf; a shampoo and bodywash. And even though I didn't fancy smelling like a dude for the next while, I really wanted to wash my hair. With a lather suffeciently created, the water ran pink intially from the dried blood in my hair. I was thankful that none of the blood had been mine, and it was soothing to work out the dirt and kinks in my hair. I would need to cut it soon; it was reaching the small of my back at this stage and was completely unrealistic and difficult to keep while on the road.

I probably stayed too long in the shower, the water losing some of it's previous heat. Deciding that an angry Paulie was not the best thing right now, I shut off the water and stepped out onto the surprisingly cold tiles. I could have cried with joy when I realised that the metal rail was heated though, and that the towel was thoroughly warm. It wrapped around my frame almost twice, and was so soothing I had to sit on the closed toilet seat and enjoy the heat for a while. My hair began to dry and kink, years of neglect tugging the once ringlet curls from the strands. Now, it was just a mess of waves and kinks when it dried. The fluffy bath mat beneath my feet was another welcomed luxury as I dropped my now cold towel and began to dress. The underwear was matching; an emergency pair that I left for when I was pulling tricks for potentially wealthy clients. It had lace and bows and everything a cute lingerie set should have. The burgundy colour, the colour of freshly spilled blood, I knew looked good against my pale skin. Paulie's shirt was, as I had expected, far too large and made it all the way to just above my knee. With a quick glance in the fogged mirror, I concluded that, while I still wasn't on the top of my game in terms of the looks department, the cute shirt look was a whole lot better than street-rat mess.

I left the towel on the rail, and kicked my abandoned clothes in the bedroom against my duffel bag. I wonder if Paulie's generosity would extend to allowing me wash and dry my belongings. All of my clothes really needed to get washed at some stage soon. Leaving the bedroom, although reluctantly since the warm, comfy bed was calling my name, I was immediately assaulted with the scent of something delicious cooking. Follow my nose, I found Paulie in the kitchen, flipping pancakes at the stove. He glanced at me when I entered, but his gaze returned and his eyes traced my figure as I leaned against the archway, crossing my arms underneath my chest.

"My, oh, my," I praised, my accent slowly slipping through with the familiar phrase. "You sure do know how to treat a girl."

"Blueberry pancakes," he explained, his eyes trailing deliciously from my legs to my face. His gaze sent shiver down my spin, his eyes almost like molten liquid. He was far too attractive for his own good, and I was probably getting myself way in over my head.

Nevertheless, I made my way towards the stove, eyes on the frying pan in mock curiosity. I couldn't give a damn about the pancakes right now. Heat radiated from him, and I wanted to press myself against him. I settled for barely touching his arm with mine, conscious of my own breathing that had become a little heavier. If he could sense my attraction, he didn't let on, and remained perfectly still. I could feel his gaze on my face as I glanced from the pancakes to him.

"Well, a girl's gotta eat," I responded.

He didn't have time to react before I smashed my mouth against his, the spatula clanging to the floor. It was a difficult feat; he was so much taller than me but I was glad he was a little accommodating, stooping low so I could reach him. Once I had wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him for all I was worth, he picked me up like it was nothing and set me on the counter, settling between my legs. He broke the kiss for a second, and I opened my eyes to meet his.

My heart hammered against my chest, my skin alive and tingling with attraction. With my legs securely wrapped around his waist, he couldn't pull back very far, so his own heaving chest met my own with each breath we took. If I thought his eyes had been burning before, they were nothing to the pair that now stared at me. Now this, was an attraction. Pure, lust driven, wham-bam-thank you mam, attraction.

And boy was I in way over my head.

 _ **Hi there, and welcome to my new story.**_

 _ **While I'm not a Twilight fan per-say, I am very interested in the pack dynamic and really think it was the saving grace of the Twilight Saga novels. With this in mind, I really wanted to test my writing skills by writing stories involving the pack. For this particular story, the only connections that exist romantically within the pack are between Sam and Emily, and Jared and Kim. All other wolves are 'un-imprinted'.**_

 _ **For now, I don't believe there is much more to be explained. As demonstrated on my profile, I am not American and while I try to utilise phrases that I believe to be America, my spelling will remaining British-English, and there may be the odd phrase that sounds awkward or out of place. Apologies in advance for this. I hope you enjoy the first chapter and any and all feedback is welcomed.**_

 _ **See you on the flip page,**_

 _ **Bram**_


	2. Chapter Two

_**Apologies for having to re-upload this chapter. The previous one uploaded and had a lot of the chapter content missing. My fault; I must have uploaded a previous edit rather than the completed draft.**_

Paulie turned out to be a heavy sleeper. And a LOUD one at that. Even though it was still early evening, we both obviously needed to sleep for at least a little bit. I had managed a few hours myself, and now I was taking the chance to commit his face to my memory. It wasn't often that I encountered someone as physically beautiful as Paulie boy, and it would be useful for some self-motivation later down the line.

His skin was probably the most beautiful thing about him; it was like copper, and dark enough to hide the few freckles that did decorate his cheeks. His face was all sharp lines, as was the rest of his body; collarbones provided the foundation for strong neck muscles and arms, and I knew that his hip bones scooped to a v that led to the magical device that I had been worshipping mere hours before. But it was his face that I couldn't stop looking at. Besides the angles and a jawline that looked like it had been chiselled into existence, there was a vulnerability about his sleeping face, that hadn't been present earlier. It seemed like sleep was the only thing that could absolve him from his worries, and his brows finally rested easily above his eyes. I will never forget the depth fo his eyes; warm and intense, crinkled at the sides as he lay below me, looking at me as if I was the greatest thing he'd ever had. Usually, I would be confident in my attractiveness, but I honestly think that Paul could have any woman he wanted. I had been amused to find that he wanted to fall asleep facing one another and, after being flung around the kitchen and then devoured beneath his sheets, he seemed more than comfortable with snuggling up against my obviously colder body. His skin burned against mine and the old bruises that still made their presence known. It had been soothing at first but now I was beginning to grow uncomfortable. And I needed to pee.

"Annie?" Paul moaned, as soon as I left the bed. The boy must have been a damn superhero in another life to have those sort of senses.

"You fucked the pee right out of me," I responded, glancing over my bare shoulder to meet with his sleepy and amused gaze. "I gotta use the ladies room, powder my nose."

We both laughed, though I at the innuendo - drugs kiddies, drugs- and him at what I assumed was something ridiculous. He had just had sex with a girl who used sex as a way to survive, he was content. I knew what I was doing, and I was damn good at it. But I was surprised with how satisfied Paul had left me. He was nothing but selfless, making sure I had reached several of my own moments of bliss before he finally claimed his own. It probably helped that he treated my body as if it was the best thing he'd ever seen. Like I said, I knew I was attractive though maybe slightly on the petite side. I often envied girls who had naturally large breasts; they always seemed to be what the men were after. But I made do with my smaller proportions. What I lacked in boob-age, I made up for in enthusiasm.

I winced a bit as I went about my business in the bathroom. Paul clearly liked it rough, and he was huge. My status had made some things difficult to accomplish, but I gave as good as I got. But the dull ache was somewhat pleasing, along with the stiffness and deep tightness in my muscles. I hadn't had anyone like that in a long time, someone that I'd gone after purely driven by lust rather than by the need to survive. When I returned to the room, Paul was sitting up in the bed and he gaze immediately began roaming my naked body.

"So cowboy," I taunted as I approached the bed, adding that extra roll to my hips which seemed to catch his attention. "Would you like to aim for round two, or do you fancy feeding a gal?"

"Let's feed you first," he growled, throwing the sheets off himself. I was a little disappointed to realise he now wore a pair of underwear, though they looked pretty new and were tight enough to allow me to continue my oogling of his body. "I can eat more later"

Again, I laughed at the innuendo, but it was muffled as a shirt was tossed in my face. Immediately I was engulfed with the scent of Paul, and couldn't prevent my body from reacting. Now that I had a taste of him, I knew I'd want more before I left. It was a little upsetting that I couldn't stay for longer, but there was nothing here for me, and I'd go out of my mind if Paul made me his live-in whore. It was fine doing that in a big city where I had a little bit of freedom. But I doubt anyone in this little town knew what the word 'subtle' meant, and I doubt Paul was a coked-up millionaire who had money to burn. But still, an extra day couldn't hurt. It was already dark out, and there was no reason why I couldn't get the bus tomorrow instead.

Following Paul, who had already made his way to the kitchen, I couldn't help but raise the sleeve of the shirt I now wore - as a dress I might add- to my nose and inhale deeply. Oh, a girl could get used to this.

"So, who's the new friend you got there Paul?"

I stopped in my tracks when I realised that two new men sat on the stools at the breakfast bar. Paul seemed to have the intelligence to look slightly sheepish, though both of the men were focusing on my face instead of my bare legs. What jacked up gentlemen. Maybe the steroids hadn't destroyed all their brain cells. There was still hope left in this tiny town.

"They kind of snuck in on me," Paul admitted, and I could see the tension in his shoulders which suggested his anger at them.

"Hey," I argued, crossing my arms over my chest. "You said nothing about a group; that's gonna cost you extra."

One of the men began shrieking in laughter as Paul stared at me, open-mouthed. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his reaction. It was the first thing he learned about me; I had the sass and wit to talk my way out of any situation. There was no point in being shocked at that now. Embarrassment wasn't really an emotion I ever felt, so having these two men gawking at me wasn't something I couldn't handle.

"I'm Jared," one of them offered his hand following the introduction. I shook it early, wrestling my obviously paler and smaller palm from the confines of Paul's shirt. "And this is Jake."

"Nice to meet you too," I concluded, and draped myself across the counter in front of them, my gaze switching between the two. "I'm Luna,"

"Luna?" Paul snorted. "You told me it was Annie."

"Oh shit, yeah," I flinched. What a stupid screw up. The two new guys glanced at each other before returning their attention to me.

If I hadn't spent the past little while gaping at Pauls' face while he pounded into me and again while he was unconscious, I would have thought that he looked like them. And there were obvious similarities between the three, but I was able to pick out some discerning features. Jared lacks the tense lines in Paul's face, though his eyes mirrored the same depth as Pauls', and he had an extra softness to him, more fat in his cheeks and less harsh lines. He was more handsome than hot compared to Paul. And I immediately knew the group must have been popular with the ladies. Besides the fact that they were all pumped up gym buddies, they seemed to have subtle differences about them that allowed a girl to delude herself into thinking they were each unique, and special, and different, and could cater to her personal needs. And yet still remain part of the 'brotherly love' of the gang. Jacob, on the other hand, looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he looked as if he was permanently lacking in sleep with dark skin tugging downwards from the inside of his noticeably lighter eyes. I wondered if he was truly older than Paul and Jared, or if he simply looked it. He also seemed bigger somehow, like he took up more space than the other two.

"So, what kind of set up do you guys run here?" I continued, knowing that playing dumb would get me nowhere and not wanting them to question my choice of names. I'd had some good times as Luna. Jared, the one who had introduced himself, turned to Jacob, and immediately I could spot a leader. So, I turned my attention towards him as well, curiosity getting the best of me. "Girls? Cocaine? Arms?"

"We're not a gang," Jacob protested when he realised my line of questioning.

"Sure you're not," I snorted, raising myself to my full yet slightly meagre height. Was he not telling me because he assumed I was innocent? While the blonde hair and blue eyes did me a few favours, I was often thought of as more innocent and pure than I was, thanks to my looks. "You just all happen to be incredibly fit, and incredibly close-knit."

"We protect the tribe," Jacob continued, eyes sliding to Paul. It was a look that meant - What the fuck dude?

"Listen," I cut in before Paul could speak. "I don't care what it is. I'm only seeing if it's worth my time hanging around."

"You're leaving?" Paul finally got his two cents in, and I glanced at him. The spatula had reclaimed its place in his hand and he had managed to salvage the batter.

"The first bus tomorrow, unless I can find a valuable reason to stay," I explained, my focus once again switching to Jacob. "So, what are you guys in to?"

"If you need it, we can help you," Jacob offered, reaching out to try and touch my hand on the counter. I drew back immediately, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I don't need any help," I bit back, feeling my own temper rise. "I'm only curious. It seems like a shit deal you guys have going on here; you'd be much more useful in a larger city."

"We're not a gang!" Jacob had finally lost his temper, slapping his palm against the counter. But I didn't even flinch. He didn't scare me; I'd been hit by a lot harder for a lot less before.

"Oh yeah?" I questioned him, leaning forward so now I was in his personal space. "Let's say I believe you. What does this 'tribe' have to be protected from anyway?"

"We try to keep the younger kids in school," Jared offered, drawing my attention away from a now calm Jacob. Man, he may have a temper but he sure knew how to control it. "We try to keep drugs and things off the Reservation, and we want the community to grow, keep our heritage alive."

"I didn't know this was a Reservation," I admitted, though my lack of knowledge wasn't something surprising. Why care about the place you're in if you're only going to be leaving anyway?

"It's our land," Paul continued, and I noticed the pride in his voice as he spoke. Now _that_ was an attractive feature on him. I couldn't help but let my gaze linger across his chest as he spoke. "We just want to keep our people safe,"

"Admirable," This was untrue, but I felt like I needed to say something. I could feel the heat of Jacob's gaze on the side of my face, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he unnerved me slightly. He was a dominant man if I ever saw one.

Instead, I kept my focus on Paulie and his ability to flip pancakes. He wasn't bad, and I was delighted to see the stack slowly growing. I didn't want to admit, but I was starved and the treats smelled damn good. I was also beginning to get the shakes again but really didn't want to have to crash and burn anytime soon. But with my weed and liquor gone, I was at a loss at what I was supposed to do to prevent the come down from happening.

"Paulieeee," I called, pushing myself away from the counter and the discussion that the Jays were now currently engaged in, and joining Paul at the stove. "Do you have any wine?"

"Wine?" he repeated, seeming to come out of his daze of concentrating on pancakes.

"Yes, wine. You know, alcoholic beverage, adult drinks, yum yum?" I was half teasing, half irritable. All I needed was a buzz. Just a little one.

"Are you even old enough to drink?" He questioned, and seemed to go pale at the thought of me being underage.

"Please," I scoffed. "I'm sure I'm old enough."

"You're SURE?!" he practically roared. But again, I kept my cool. Big men that shouted were nothing new or exciting.

"Pretty sure," I concluded, trying not to sound like an absolute saddo. "I think I must be about twenty-two at this stage."

Paul's gaze switched from my face to one of the guys behind me; probably Jacob. He was probably doing some weird male eye-contact thing that I never could quite figure out. So I ignored him, concluded that he had no wine, and watched his pancakes so he didn't burn the one currently sitting in the pan. My satisfaction that had burned between my legs earlier was gone, and I could feel irritation creeping its way in to form a headache behind my eyes. I kind of wanted to cry, knowing that after the shakes came sweat and vomit. Detoxing was never fun, which is why I tried to avoid it like the plague. I was a bitch when detoxing, and realised that travelling on tomorrow was going to be hell on a bus. There was no guarantee that the symptoms would continue; it could be days by the time I fully flushed out whatever was in my system and faced a day sober. But I'm not sure if it was a risk I was willing to take on a bus full of people. My attention switched from the pan to Paul who was still staring down Jacob. But was it a risk I was willing to take with Paulie?

"How long would you let me stay?" I questioned, waiting for him to realise I was, in fact, still there.

"As long as you need."

I was surprised by his response, but even more surprised by the slight shiver that ran down my spine and clenched in my gut. It was a warning, a warning of danger. And I wasn't entirely sure how to interpret it. I was used to following my gut feelings; usually, my sense of danger kicked in before reason ever could, and my fight or flight mode seemed to always be simmering below the surface, waiting to give me a practised warning that things were going to turn sour very soon. And now, it was confusing. Was I worried about Paulie possibly falling for me? Definitely yes. I wasn't sure what kind of a person he was; would he be the kind that took my independence as something attractive at first, but turn bitter when I would want to leave? 'As long as I need' was way too open-ended and promising for my liking. I had always relied on concrete. Even when I was in a haze of drugs and booze, I always had something concrete to focus on. It had been my will to leave this town on the bus tomorrow, so with that gone, what was my something concrete then? I was far too smart to name Paulie as my 'something'. He would disappoint me, eventually. But for now, amazing sex and somewhere to sleep while I rode out the horrors of detox could be enough to convince me to stay a little longer.

"We wouldn't give you any trouble," Jacob assured me, not that I needed his approval to stay or anything. Though a nagging feeling told me that maybe I did. "As long as you don't bother us, we won't bother you."

"Yes sir," I agreed, mock saluting him in a way that I hoped got under his skin.

Instead, disappointingly, he didn't seem to care for my antics and instead nodded at Paul, before standing with Jared. The two men left the house as if a silent alarm went off somewhere and they were late for something important. Deciding not to comment, or ask - something told me the less I knew about these guys, the better - I turned my attention back to Paul, who had casually returned to flipping pancakes.

"I'll stay until the shakes stop," I assured him, stepping closer to him and wrapping my hands around his large forearm. "It shouldn't be longer than a day or two."

"Well, what are we supposed to do until then?" he asked, his tone teasing as his eyes flicked towards mine.

"You can feed me, and then have your filthy, filthy way with me," I suggested, kneading the muscles on his arm softly.

"Baby, I like this plan."

* * *

I was bored out of my mind. It was the full-day two of living with Paul as his in-house pet and whore. I didn't count our first evening together; that had been the awkward getting to know each other stage. But after forty-eight plus hours together, twenty-four of them being spent on detoxing, I could safely say we were past that stage. The vomiting had been terrible, he insisted on holding my hair out of my face when all I had wanted was to curl up on the bathroom floor and ride out the worst of the detox process. It had been hell for while, but it was something my body had been through many times before and so I was well able to manage. Imagine the worst hangover and then multiply it by eight. That was how I had felt. It also helped that I had a tiny sachet of the heavenly white stuff in the zip compartment of my bag. Lining my gums with a fingertip of that stuff had really eased me down.

But now, I was back to feeling more myself. Myself being a perverted annoyance in Paul's life. He insisted that he couldn't take any more time off of work, and so I had been left alone today as he jetted off to the furniture store that he owned with Jared. Apparently, the majority of his friends worked in a garage owned by Jacob, but Paul's talent lay in creating things from wood. Most of the furniture in his house, including the bed that I now knew exceedingly well, had been handcrafted by himself. I was impressed, though I could tell from our time together that he had talented, talented hands.

Great, now I was bored and sexually frustrated. I don't know why but I couldn't seem to get enough of Paul and jumped him every chance I got. We had a strange agreement that we filled each others' needs when we could, and I tried to stay out of his way as much as possible. He seemed keen on keeping me around, never mentioning how quickly I seemed to get over my stomach continuously emptying itself and my hands shaking so badly that I couldn't even manage to hold anything. It was a nice change though, having someone genuinely concerned about my well being. I was used to detoxing alone, or with someone whose major concern was making sure I stayed attractive enough to be sold or bartered. The fluffy towels and warm hands rubbing my back was like a vacation compared to what I was used to.

The door opening broke me from my thoughts, and I lifted my head from where it had been squashed against the very comfortable pillows on Paul's very comfortable couch. I wasn't expecting Paul home this early and was proved right when the person at the door proved to be someone other than Paul.

"Holy shit, I'm so sorry!" he was loud, a booming voice that irritated the hell out of me. "I just wanted to see if it was actually true. I mean I never thought Paul would take someone in like this but when I heard about you from the others.."

"My, aren't you charming," I broke his annoying blathering, rising from the couch and pulling down my borrowed shirt. "Paul isn't here, in case you're wondering."

"Oh, I know," the stranger clarified, finally closing the door of the house behind him and sealing off the cold.

It was strange being on the Olympic Peninsula. I was used to scorching streets so wet moss and dark forests, and wet, cold weather was slightly strange. But I had been curious about this far North. And I was the cat that curiosity seemed to love to play with.

"I came to see you,"

"Flattered, I'm sure," I crossed my arms in defence, sizing this guy up. Of course, he looked exactly like the other 'gang' members - sorry Jacob- though he seemed a lot more fidgety, his eyes bopping around the room, and his legs moving constantly. It was a little comical actually like he constantly needed to use the toilet. "And you are?

"Oh!" he dove forward, hand outstretched. "I'm Quil. A pleasure to meet you,"

"Bianca," I answered, allowing my obnoxiously small hand to be swallowed by his overly large one.

"Jake said it was Luna?" he questioned, his hand dropping to his side only to begin tapping against his thigh almost instantaneously.

"Fuck, I forgot I've already met some of you," my sarcasm was glorious. "Well, feel free to call me whatever you want darling."

"You should come to Emily's soon," he continued as if I hadn't even spoken. "I'm sure all the gang would love to meet you."

"Ah ha! So you are a gang!"

"Of course we are," he admitted, eyes wide as if I'd somehow unearthed the greatest secret in the world. "You've seen us right? We've got this place on lockdown!"

"We'll see," I grinned, my opinion of this Quil dude slowly changing. "I don't want to be influenced by your illegal ways."

"Well, not that I've seen you, I've other places to be!"

And I guess that was his version of goodbye because a moment later, I was left alone again in the silence of the house. I decided to be nice - a rarity for me- a cook Paul some dinner when he got home from work. So it wasn't an entirely selfless act; I knew that the way to any man was through his stomach, and I'm sure he'd reward me for cooking him some grub. Despite the fact that he lived alone, Paul kept a well-stocked fridge, and I had homemade fries and steak cooking by the time he wandered in the door.

"Honey, I'm hooome," he called, excitement evident in his voice. "Is that steak I smell?!"

"Welcome home, my dearest sunshine sparkle fart," I greeted, pressing the length of my body against him, as he peered into the frying pan of onions and mushrooms that I was currently tending over. "How was your day fluffy butt?"

"Fluffy butt?"

"I was wondering which nickname would break you from your meat induced trance," I giggled, pressing my hips against his to move him slightly out of the way. He complied, wrapping a hand around my front and pressing against my stomach in a comforting gesture. "Dinner will be ready soon."

"You may be the greatest thing I have ever found at the diner," he smiled, pressing his lips against my hair that had slowly regained some of its natural curls. There were actual discernable ringlets now, amongst the mass of waves and kinks.

"So, sex before or after dinner?"

* * *

I'm usually a pretty deep sleeper. Maybe not as deep as Paul, but I usually catch at least four or five uninterrupted hours if I'm in a safe place. Which is why I'm surprised when I wake, panic settling in my chest. I'm sitting up a moment later, blinking away the sleepiness, and running my hand across the bed to find Paul's warmth. But he isn't there. I'm tempted to whisper his name in the dark, but I've learned throughout the years that if they think you're asleep, anyone with nasty intentions is more likely to bypass you or leave you alone.

As quiet as possible, I leave the bed, cringing as my bare feet hit the cold floor. The breeze that hits the bare skin of my legs alerts me to the fact that the bedroom window is open. Finding that odd and uncomfortable, my priority turns from finding Paul to closing the window. It comes down again with ease, surprisingly since the wood looks quite old so I imagined I would have some difficulty with it. As I'm about to turn from the glass and renew my search for my body heater, a movement in the yard catches my eyes.

It's Paul, standing like a dork in the grass, head cocked to one side. His naked ass distracts me for a moment. That is until he explodes.

I'm not joking. He exploded.

And not in the funny, two dimensional way they do on television. Skin ripped from his body and he somehow _morphed_ into something. Gone are his human limbs, they seemed to have cracked and broken and extended. Gone is the beautiful skin that I was beginning to map in my head, it was stretched and ruptured and ripped. It takes me a moment to realise that _something_ that has replaced Paulie, is a giant beast. Knowing that I'm on the verge of panicking, I cover my mouth with my hand to silent my heavy breathing and lock my limbs in place. My flight or fight mode may be well versed, but there are moments where you have to not move, where there is no other choice to make. And this was one of those times. There's a heaviness in my stomach, a cold wash across the surface of my skin. It's something that I haven't felt tingling the edges of my nerves in a long time; fear.

He, _it_ , doesn't seem to have noticed me, and I watch, unmoving, as the beast leaps into the trees and out of sight.

I just about make it to the edge of the bed before my legs give out.

Paul, my hottie Paul, isn't human.

Paul is a fucking wolf.

 _ **Hello dear readers,**_

 _ **So I feel another little bit of explaining to do in this chapter. This story has appeared on my profile before, as a reviewer very astutely realised. I had previously moved to publish this story but took it down as I felt that it was unfinished and I was not entirely pleased with my writing. In terms of updates, unfortunately, they will be sporadic for now. I work shifts and so it is a little difficult for me to set a concrete schedule. I am, however, aiming to upload every fortnight for the majority of this fiction, preferably towards the weekend.**_

 _ **All questions, reviews, or concerns are greatly appreciated.**_

 _ **See you on the flip page,**_

Bram


	3. Chapter Three

I sat on the bed, wrapped in the blankets that smelled of myself and Paul, for hours afterwards, contemplating my next move.

He had just turned into a wolf.

I think it was safe to say that I needed to get my skinny ass out of this crazy town.

Leaving immediately was tricky though; as far as I knew, Paul was unaware of the fact that I had discovered his little secret. If he was planning on harming me, leaving was no guarantee that I would be safe. It was possible that he would put two and two together and have his gang - correction - _pack_ track me down.

"The closer you are to danger, the further you are from harm," I murmured, repeating the one piece of advice my mother - probably something she heard on one of her ridiculous daytime television shows - had ever given me. And it had come in surprisingly useful at times, that bitch.

So, the logical thing to do may be to run. But that didn't mean I would be safe. If, however, I was to stay and fake innocence, then I might last a little longer. I could leave under my original pretence of moving on, convincing Paul that I wasn't worth the time to try and barter me to stay. The only reason I could think of for him keeping me around was to fatten me up so he could eat me later. And all the great sex we had been having. I imagine if I slowly began ignoring his advances, and really played upon my independent streak, he would realise I wasn't worth his time. He was incredibly smart though, to pick me up like that. How would he have known that I was alone in this world and that it would be easy to make me disappear from the face of the earth?

Then again, he was inclined towards bursting into a giant wolf. Who else knows what he might be capable of. With a newfound thirst for survival settling in my stomach, I left the warmth of the bed and the bedroom, journeying towards Paul's home office. He had allowed me the use of the computer if I needed to contact anyone.

Well, right now I needed to contact Mr Google.

The computer itself was top of the range and sat on a tall, mahogany desk. The chair was plush and had one of those built-in back supports. It smelled of modern design and technology and, even with the slightly poor internet connection, I was tapping away for search items within a few minutes of sitting down. But I was anxious to finish this search before Paul returned home so I was on high alert, pausing at every sound the house made, my fingers tapping impatiently against the desk when the pages wouldn't load fast enough for me. I had stayed in front of the window for a good half hour, my eyes scanning the line of the dark trees in order to see if he planned on returning any time soon or if he had caught me, and now I felt slightly vulnerable in the windowless room.

When my searches eventually loaded, all I found was utter bullshit. What was I thinking; that I could go to Google and find all the answers to the reason why Paul, and guaranteed every other member of that gang, could spontaneously turn into a giant wolf? I was actually glad that I'd been in panic-inducing situations before this. I was acting rationally and calm, filing away the unpleasant thoughts until I was in a safer space - feminists love that word I find, and it makes me internally giggle every time I use the phrase- to handle them. Besides, this was all assuming that Paul was dangerous. But, better safe than sorry. He could just be a lonely sonofabitch in need of some sexy company and figured that I had no one to tell his secret to anyway, even if I did find out. As my heartbeat slowed and the need for survival reduced to an ignorable simmer, I was able to work out alternatives other than Paul wanting to eat me. Another less than desirable result would be him wanting me to birth his human-wolf babies. I wasn't even prepared to have human babies, never mind the hybrid kind. But would I even have a choice in the matter? Could his super wolf sperm bypass my biological flaws?

"This is madness," I muttered at the screen, the brightness stinging my dry eyes.

I shut the computer off, in the way that I know you're not supposed to, by simply flicking the switch at the wall socket, and returned to my little fort in the bedroom. It was bizarre, but the scent of our mixture was calming somehow. Pressing the blankets to my face, I inhaled deeply, all the way into my lungs. This caused me to almost die of a coughing fit, but the scent definitely eased my almost-relaxed nerves. If all came to all, and this is how I was supposed to die, I guess being eaten by a mythical being was the best way to go. It beat out dying of an overdose or being stabbed to death by a horny, jacked up, gang member. If anything, it would be the most interesting moment of my life.

The thought should have made me incredibly sad, but instead, I felt a little comforted. I hoped I was tasty enough that he would be pleased. This also gave me an excuse to continue eating as much as he fed me, and riding him like he was my own personal stallion. I wonder, in the sadistic part of my brain, if he was planning on sharing me with his pack members? I wasn't exactly a large girl, even if he could manage to equally divide me up, I doubt I would be enough to sate the hunger of four angry wolf-shifter-thingies. Were they even werewolves? He had been standing bareass naked in the light of a moon and nothing had happened. And, it wasn't even a full moon. Damn it, even fairytales hadn't prepared me for this shit. What was the use of hearing about all those god damn princesses if they didn't teach you anything about life? At least throw something in the next Disney animation about the dangers of cocaine, or something like that.

Being sidetracked allowed my brain to slow its process and I realised, with a small laugh, that I was entirely over the shock of the situation. Again, thanking the fact that I had seen so much, and was possibly a little cracked in the head because of it, that this didn't seem like that big of a deal to handle. Maybe Paul wasn't even planning on telling me and I accidentally came across his secret? He was entirely stupid to change so near to the house though. Maybe all the good lovin' I'd be giving him has rotted his brain a little bit. Or maybe he was late for a date with his wolf-girlfriend and he didn't want her to catch him with his side chick. Maybe that was it; I was his human embarrassment that he somehow found irresistible and he was currently arguing with his werewolf family about wanting to keep me around, and he was suffering from some internal, moral dilemma.

The ridiculous thought caused me to laugh aloud. Who in their right mind would think of something as ludicrous - see? I can use big words that I find on the back of public bathroom doors - as having a mythical being as their significant other? It seemed dangerous and unnecessary. Surely there were enough people on this planet to have bang-bong fun times with other than those of the mythical kind. Next thing you know, girls will be baring their necks to vampires, willing to leave their humanity behind for bloodsuckers. Or giving up their lungs and legs for mermen. Although, living under the sea seems like a pretty cool idea, if not for the lack of alcohol and other delicious substances. I imagine the ability to perform all kinds of manoeuvres and positions might outweigh that slight disappointment, however. And I don't mean the synchronised swimming kind of manoeuvres.

* * *

Somehow, I managed to fall back asleep, with images of attractive fairies and mermen dancing around in my brain. I was awoken by a hot arm snaking around my waist, gliding down my front, and settling beneath the cotton of the borrowed boxers I wore. It was a pleasant and continuous surprise to be woken so gently, sunlight reddening my closed eyelids and Paulie's soft breath tickling across my cheek.

"'Morning," he whispered, his voice alone enough to send my skin tingling.

"Good morning," I answered, turning so that I was now facing him, his arm moving to accommodate me. "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept a full night," Liar. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well," I answered, concentrating on his face as I continued the conversation. "But I thought I heard some wolves howling last night. They sounded really scary and kept me awake for a little while."

"Oh," he did well with covering himself, I didn't notice any changes in his features. "There are a lot of wolves in these forests, they probably come down from the mountains."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Like cave trolls."

"Like what?" He laughed, his hand finding a new home in the curve of my lower back.

"Cave trolls," I repeated. He was definitely an idiot. Shame, he was so hot. "It's a book reference."

"You read books?" Paulie sounded shocked by the idea, and I tried not to let my irritation show.

"Yes, sir, I do." Well, maybe I let a little of my irritation show. "At least, I did once upon a time. I got in with a gang in Atlantic City, pretty high-class guys who owned a stripper place, and my guy had an extensive library."

I could tell he had a bunch of questions he wanted to ask, so I sat up to break the connection, though he left his hand pressed against my back. Tugging my knees to my chest, I rest my head on them and looked at him. I wanted to approach this a little more carefully, but I didn't really know where to start. So, instead, I asked the first thing that popped into my mind.

"Have you ever had an obsession?"

"An obsession? Like an addiction?" He seemed fairly amused by my questioning, but happy to entertain me.

"No, an addiction is an entirely different thing Paulie," I tsked, turning to face him fully now, crossing my legs one over another. "An obsession is with someone."

"I'm a little obsessed with your ass, to be honest Annie," His smile was charming, especially when using the first bullshit name I offered him, and I could feel attraction to him flare up slightly.

"I'm serious!" He deserved the slight smack on the arm I gave him. "I mean it. Have you ever been obsessed with someone? Felt like they were your whole entire life? Like you would do anything for them?"

He grew still suddenly, eyes tightening as they wandered over my face. He sat up a moment later, eyes boring into mine. It was like he was searching for something, and for what I don't know. My heart rate picked up as I realised that he might know I was on to him. Or maybe he was trying to figure out just how crazy I really was. Instead, he simply cupped my face in his hand, brushing his thumb along the dominant bone of my cheek. It was a comforting gesture, and I couldn't help but lean against his palm.

"I don't know if I believe in that," he admitted, but it felt like he was admitting to something a lot more serious. "All I know is that right here, right now, I adore having you and I can't stop thinking about you being naked in my bed."

And like that we were off again, giggling and kissing beneath the sheets. Paulie had a good way of distracting me. And to be fair, how could you fear someone when they're covering your skin with heated kisses and giving you so much pleasure you don't think you can handle anymore? When he treats you like you're made of glass until I could coax him otherwise so he would leave my skin bruised and my muscles aching with pleasure. And afterwards, as always, he lay with me pressed against him for ' a few moments' before he would promise to feed me.

His skin, his beautiful skin, was always so hot and in the back of my mind I couldn't help but think of the wolf beneath. I remember it being a beautiful silver grey in the moonlight, a detail I had forgotten in my fear. His hands, wrapped around me so protectively, were so human. Well worn, strong, and capable of probably crushing my skull in.

"Paulie?" I detested how soft my voice was. He 'hmmed' in response. "Just...don't ever hurt me ok?"

He stilled, and in a second the hands had disappeared and he was hovering over me. Gazes locked, I could see the conflict raging there, his face contorting into an expression that I didn't enjoy.

"I can't promise that," he sounded so sad and I instantly felt bad for being the cause of that, but not enough to stop his explanation. "But I will never lay a hand on you that you don't want there."

"That's all I want," I clarified, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him in for a quick, chaste kiss. "Now, feed me!"

* * *

"I think I've found you a job!" Paul's voice was almost deafening, drowning out the chat show host that I was currently ignoring.

I lifted my face from where it had been plastered on his silk cushion, confused until my eyes found the clock and I realised Paulie was finally home from work. After being here for almost two weeks, we had slowly fallen into this strange little routine that I was beginning to become far too comfortable in. The fear of being eaten had eased somewhat, and I couldn't bring myself to leave any time soon.

"A job?" I questioned, wondering what in the world Paul would have me doing.

"Sue Clearwater needs someone in her shop now that Abbey is going to be going to college off the Rez," he explained, throwing himself onto the couch beside me and automatically opening his arms for me so I could press against him. "I've already spoken to her about it and she'd be more than happy for the help."

"But Paul," I hated to burst his bubble. "I don't have any I.D or any bank account?"

"That's fine. Sue said she can cover it in cash, and anything that might need to be done through an account, you can use mine; I can make withdraws of your paychecks and things."

"So you want me to be less of a lazy bum and more of a working gal?" I teased.

"I think you should be kept busy, and you might actually find that you like the rest of the people on the Rez," he explained, though I could feel his hand creeping up the side of my waist and across the top of my ribs. "Though I wouldn't mind keeping you all to myself."

"The job sounds good," I feigned innocence, which I know frustrated him to no end. "I haven't had a legal job since I was twelve."

"I don't think that is legal," he countered, though he didn't press any further. Paul learned within the first week of living with me that I refused to answer any of the questions he asked.

"Ah well, it'll be exciting I guess," though I had no enthusiasm for having to deal with members of the public.

I knew how to handle people, but I detested when people looked down on me just because I would turn tricks to get by; it's hard to make a living when you don't even have a high school degree. Or when I had to deal with the idiots of society and their rudeness. Other than that, I was a delight to deal with at all times; chirpy, caffeine driven, and probably the best person to find the easiest way to get a job done. Cutting corners was my speciality.

"Did you warn Sue about me?"

"Oh, she's been well informed," he confirmed, smiling cheekily. We both knew what that meant; was she aware of how entirely unable to be a functioning member of society that I was.

I wasn't an idiot though; no one could be that good of a person. Paulie must have paid her or bribed her or fucked her in order to convince her that she should take me on. I'm even surprised that I was being paid. Maybe he threatened her in wolf form. The thought led me down a strange rabbit hole; did everyone on this Reservation know that Paul and his group of entirely delicious looking buddies all possessed the ability to magically transform? I had considered that maybe Paul was the only one, but then again, I wasn't an idiot. They all looked way too similar to not somehow be connected by mutant, superhero, spider-biting gene that made them very non-human.

"So I can drop you off in the morning," Paul continued, unaware that I hadn't been listening to him. Feigining interest and knowledge was one of my specialities, however.

"Yeah, sounds great," I agreed. "Any uniform requirements?"

"Just jeans; Sue has an old store shirt you can wear,"

"Do we need to change the alarm time or would you still have time to get me there?" I questioned. Damn I should have been a cop. He had no idea that half his conversation had been lost on me.

"About half an hour should make up the difference. It's not a major thing if I'm running late but Sue never opens the store late, so you have to be right on time. Maybe even a little earlier if we can manage it."

So, three major changes in my current life situation;

I was now living with Paul.

He had gotten me a job.

He turned into a giant wolf.

I didn't know which I was more afraid of; commitment, the public, or giant man-eating wolves.

 _ **Apologies for the apparent abandonment of this story. Writer's block and a touch of melancoloy reduced me to lacking the necessary inspiration and hard work to continue this story. I'm hoping this isn't a brief flash, and that updates can resume a more regular schedule. Thank you to anyone who has stayed with this story.**_

 _ **See you on the flip page,**_

 _ **Hollie**_


	4. Chapter Four

**_Apologies for the major delay with this fanfiction; as a creative type - and I'm sure a number of you can relate to this - I'm prone to bouts of depression where writing seems near impossible. I'm hoping that I am now quite over it and can return to fanfiction. Thank you to those who have been patient and decided to stick with this story._**

I hated early mornings. Actually, I think I loathed them. The sky was that dull, lifeless, grey, and the dampness in the air caused stray hairs to stick to the side of my cheeks. I was waiting for this 'Sue' person to appear, having denied Paul the chance to wait with me. Trying to avoid seeming like a schoolchild to him had been high on the priority list this morning. That, and making sure that my jeans were clean and that I was presentable enough for this Sue Clearwater. Within a few minutes of my irritation reaching its limit, a smaller car pulled up next to the sidewalk where I had been leaning against the front of the store. The woman who exited the tan vehicle was not what I had been expecting.

She was taller than me - though that wasn't a difficult feat - and looked like a yummy mummy in her bootcut jeans and waterproof jacket. Her hair was long, braided, and pulled over one shoulder with streaks of grey fizzing in the morning light. But it was her face that was the most striking thing about her; it was just so filled with kindness; wide eyes, a full mouth that pulled into a smile as soon as she saw me, and a relaxed brow. I couldn't help but do a little wave in return to her greeting, definitely feeling like a child now.

"You must be Annie," she greeted, reaching out a hand towards me.

"It's actually Violet," I corrected, but instantly felt my cheeks flood with colour. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was blushing.

Well, holy shit. I just gave my real name.

Sue frowned at the name change, but continued with her offered handshake and wrapped her hand around mine.

"Don't tell Paul,"

I guess the shitshow continues today. Mentally, I was already planning an escape route from this lady and her kind eyes.

"Well, I guess we'll have to have a little discussion at lunch," She concluded, the smile returning to her face as she dropped my hand and fished her keys from her pocket.

I followed her, wordlessly, as she opened the door and explained to me how she opened the shop, flipping the switches and checking the fridge temperatures before making her way to the cash register. She gave me the grand tour after we had left our belongings in the small room in the back; there was a single bathroom that was for employee and customer use, a dry store in the back for products, a delivery bay that was simply a door that was propped open with a heavy box that led to a larger parking lot than the few spaces that were at the front of the store. I continued to attempt to listen to Sue as she ran through the operation of the store, opening at exactly eight on the dot.

By the time opening did roll around, I had seen the entire store and shadowed Sue as she went through the morning checks and managerial maintenances. People here must love early mornings because we'd hardly been opened five minutes before someone strolled in. He was tall, huge in fact, and I immediately deduced that he must be another of Paul's friends - and fellow wolf buddies. He seemed to know exactly what he wanted and headed to the back fridge where he picked up a gallon of milk. He stopped in the small baby section before coming to the front register, a can of formula tucked under his other arm.

"Oh, good morning," was the greeting I received, as I reached for the gallon of milk. "Where's Sue?"

"She's in the back," came my response, as I scanned both items, the register making a little 'ting' noise that I knew would eventually wear out my nerves.

"And you are...?" I guess the manners of this reservation began and ended with Sue Clearwater.

"Rebecca," I was suddenly glad for the uniform here; a simple green t-shirt with the name of the store on the back. And grateful for the lack of name tags. "I'm Paul's friend."

Comprehension seemed to dawn on the man's face, and his face suddenly changed. Jaw set in what seemed irritation, he completed the rest of the transaction in silence, leaving with a simple nod of his head. I wonder what I had done to be so offensive to this man; maybe I was entirely too thin for his appetite? Or maybe he was jealous was tappin' this hot ass and he wasn't getting any. Though based solely on his purchase, I was willing to gamble he had at least gotten it once, however long ago that may have been.

I was left in relative silence for the rest of the morning, to ponder this new addition to the wolf gang, my thoughts were broken only by the occasional purchase of daily goods. I wasn't surprised when Jacob walked in at around late morning, right before my lunch break. He headed straight for me, waving only briefly to Sue who was stock counting the fridge, and I assumed we were about to have serious talk time, based on the scowl that was causing his brow to dip low over his eyes.

"Hey, Jakey, what's gotcha all blue?" I sang, smiling brightly as his irritation seemed to deepen.

"Luna," I guess this was the only greeting he would give me. "What did Sam want earlier?"

"Who's Sam?" Maybe that was Mr Big and Cranky Daddy.

"He said he met you earlier," he concluded as if that cleared everything right up. "Well, he said he met a girl called Rebecca."

"I enjoyed that alias right before I arrived here actually," I supplied, leaning forward on the counter and propping my chin into my hands. "It's served me well,"

"Can we stick to just one name, please?" Jacob cut in, obviously uninterested in my past. Which was a fantastic thing in my eyes. "I'm here to talk with yourself and Sue. If you plan on staying with Paul, there are a few things we need to discuss."

"Righteo," I moved from behind the counter, looking for Sue over the shelves. "Hey, Boss; the big man is here for a meeting!"

Sue's answering laugh sounded before she reappeared, smiling eyes focused on Jacob. Said man simply huffed and moved toward the back room. Sue flipped the little sign on the door to let people know we had to meet our human needs for a while before we were back to business, and then followed Jacob's nonverbal request for a more private meeting area. It was a tight fit with all three of us in the smaller back room, but we managed, Sue sitting on a step stool while I chose to lean against the door, arms crossed and waiting to hear what Jacob had to say.

"We're a small knit community here," he began, his voice too loud for the small space. It echoed authority and I could feel my spine straighten in response. I just wanted to rebel against him, just to see what would happen. "For some unknown reason, Paul has decided to house you while you stay here. I'm not sure what he sees in you, but I'm warning you, the first sign of trouble and you're gone."

I think he meant to be threatening, but all I could focus on was the elephant, er, wolf in the room.

"Yes sir," I responded, mock saluting him. When was I ever going to learn how much trouble my mouth gets me in?

"I'm serious," he confirmed, eyes narrowing dangerously into slits. "This will not end well for you if you get in our way, or do anything to harm any of us,"

"Consider me sufficiently terrified and warned," I assured him, raising my chin slightly. I wasn't about to be stared down by a man who used his size as intimidation, wolf-shifting habits, be damned. "And you came all the way down here to tell little old me that I need to be careful?"

"Same forgot the sugar," Jacob muttered after a moments pause, his eyes looking anywhere but me this time.

"Well, we have seventeen bags on the shelves and another thirty-four bags in the dry store. How many do you need?" I spoke in what I assumed was the kind of tone an air hostess would use with a bratty child that she was trying not to smack. Sue giggled in response, watching the exchange as Jacob barged from the room, and I followed behind him, rattling off any information I could remember about sugar.

"And it's really bad for your teeth too," I continued even after he had picked a number of bags from the shelf and had brought them to me to scan through. "They'll rot them straight 'outta your head."

I ignored Jacob's raised eyebrow as my accent slipped into the slight southern drawl which I usually tried to trim from my words, and I accepted the outstretched green bills. Apart from being uninterested in his day to day activities, I didn't bother asking Jacob what he actually needed the sugar for and simply waved him from the shop when he was done. Sue called her goodbye from the back, sounding as if she already had eaten a mouthful of her own lunch. Considering that how I looked is probably the main reason why Paul is keeping me around, I decided to skip lunch, and instead decided to try and memorise as much of the dry store as I could. It would save me a lot of pain later in the job when I was trying to put away deliveries or restock the shelves.

* * *

The day passed slowly, though strangely peaceful. We had a number of customers, all of whom knew Sue by name and stopped to chat with her, and they came in a steady stream which meant that the shop was never left empty for long. It seems Sue's was the most popular store in town, if not the only grocery store. I decided I didn't care enough to inquire and kept to myself the rest of the day. The 'talk' that Sue had mentioned that morning wasn't brought up again; it seems as if Jacob's visit and the threat had been enough for her.

By the end of the day, however, I was fit to murder someone. My 'nice-ness' had been used up for the day so when the evening shift arrived to take over, I barely registered their name before I called my goodbye to Sue and left the store, tugging my jacket on over my new uniform. I stopped in surprise when I recognised Paul's truck out front, his tanned arm hanging out of the window. It was exactly warm out; it was overcast, but the constant drizzle seemed to be non-existent for now.

"Hey good lookin'," he called, leaning out his window and staring at me intently. "Finished work?"

"Yup," I answered, walking to the other side of the truck and getting into the passenger side. The cab was cold, so I reached over to crank up the heat. "I just about survived the day, with no murders. I'm proud of myself."

"Good job," Paul snorted in an attempt to hide his laughter. "Not murdering people is part of being a healthy member of society."

"Uh huh, tell that to the old lady who took twenty minutes out of her day to talk to me about apples. Apples!"

"I'm sure that was riveting," Paul answered dryly, pulling out of the parking space and heading towards his home. "I had a couple today bombard me with questions about how safe my cribs were for newborns."

"Are they safe?" I countered, feeling my pissy mood starting to lift slightly. Damn but this boy has me a little bit. I blame the food and the great sex. "Is it triple-A rated, super safe, idiot proof, might drop the baby on their head but at least the crib is sturdy, safe?"

"Yes ma'am," Paul laughed, glancing at me for a second. His eyes lingered on my lips for a moment, before he returned his focus to the road. Ooh, I know what kind of an evening I was in for anyway. "But hey, at least we're both working adults now. No more lazing about for you."

"Except on weekends," I countered, stretching out my back. It was a little sore from standing all day. "That's when all the snotty teenagers are free and bug Sue about getting hours. I'm the weekday mule that covers the boring shifts."

"Mule, huh? Care to carry in some firewood later."

"Don't bet your life on it," I muttered, leaning over to pinch his thigh. He flinched, but I think that was more for my sake than his.

"Speaking of weekends, we're having a get together on Friday evening if you want to join us?" Paul offered, one hand leaving the steering wheel so he could place it on my thigh. "It would be nice for you to meet some of the people I spend a lot of my time with."

"You spend a lot of your time with me," I countered, not entirely excited about the prospect of getting any more involved in Paul's life than I already had. Then again, maybe they had finally decided to eat me and this was a get-together dinner, with me on the menu? The thought was slightly sobering, especially with Paul's hand heating up the skin beneath my jeans.

"Is that a no?" he tried to clarify, and we were pulling into his driveway a lot faster than I had hoped. He stopped the truck and, instead of exiting, turned to look at me, his second hand finding its home on my other thigh. "Annie, I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable, but I'd like you to meet these people. I'm enjoying the time we're spending together and it would be nice if the guys got to know you."

 _So they could get to know who they would be consuming._

"It's not like I'm your girlfriend or anything," I continued with my reluctance. I didn't think my demise would be so soon. The way I looked at it, I had three options;

Get out of town as fast as possible.

Continue working and living with Paul, but refuse to meet his friends, putting off the inevitable.

Accept that my time had come, meet his friends on Friday, and hope they enjoyed their delicious meal.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," he acknowledged, squeezing my legs in what he assumed was a comforting gesture.

"Ugh," I slammed my head against the back of the seat, turning to stare at Paul. I was still finding it difficult that someone so hot could be so evil. But, I guess things like that happened. And, if I was honest with myself - which I tried to be as often as possible, as uncomfortable as that is - I was tired of running. This life was too good to give up so quickly. And maybe they weren't even planning on eating me on Friday?

"Fine."

"Great, thank you," he leaned forward and placed a searing kiss against my temple. "I'm really excited to introduce you to everyone, properly."

"Yeah yeah," I waved him away, pushing the door open and stepping out into the slight warm chilled air.

I don't think I could ever get used to living in the Peninsula; I needed heat and sun, I need a change in the weather. I need the cities and the throngs of people that you could get lost in. I need to be able to blend in, not sit in nature surrounded by ridiculous trees and men who magically poofed into wolves. That was a whole other level of crazy that I was not prepared to be a part of. Drug addicts and mob bosses? Sure, no problem. Magic and myth? Not a chance, sonny boy. I was out of here as soon as I could, so I would leave it to fate; if I on Friday, so be it. If not, I was out of here by the end of the month - which gave me two weeks. Either way, I wouldn't be around for much longer.

Paul joined me on the walk up the porch, fishing in his pocket for the keys to the house. I wasn't entirely sure why he locked his house; it's not like there was anyone around here who would rob it. Maybe he was overly protective; he seemed like the type. He'd make a nightmare boyfriend if he was ever normal enough to have a girlfriend. How do magic people even get significant others?

'Would you like to date me? Oh, by the way, I like to burst into a giant wolf in my free time, and my hobbies include snacking on lone wanderers.'

I'm sure speed dating must be a riot for these guys. Wordlessly, Paul and I began getting ready for dinner. Well, mainly he did; I wanted out of my uniform as soon as possible and left it in a pile on the bedroom floor after changing into one of Paul's button-down shirts. It had the stereotypical lumberjack checked pattern, but it was a soft cotton that was welcoming and comforting.

Wrapping my arms around Paul from behind, I buried my face into his back, inhaling his scent.

"I like having you here," he hummed, stirring something in a pot that smelt delicious. "It takes some of the silence out of the house."

"You're only saying that 'cause you like my ass," I countered, not liking how clingy Paul seemed to be today. But, I needed to be cautious. Are werewolves/things overly sentimental? Oh my lord, was I his beta now?! "And the sweet, sweet lovin' I give you."

His laughter echoed through his chest, and I could feel it vibrate against my cheek. He didn't seem to have a response for my witty comeback, and so we fell into silence. I was comfortable with the contact, this wasn't going to last much longer anyway, and he seemed content in finishing dinner. But the determination had already settled in my stomach.

I was leaving. And soon.

 ** _A special thank you to_ bookbabe711, QuntisForever, nushie1, MaiaAlcippe, and Ysolde-T _for the reviews. I appreciate the comments and feedback. A little bit of a slow chapter this time around; but I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things._**


	5. Chapter Five

The week passed slowly, Friday looming at the end of it like the day you're due your period during a pregnancy scare when you're a teenager. If you don't understand that analogy, then I guess you were one sheltered cookie.

But anyway, the week was less than torturous, but I was still aware of how slowly the days passed. Nothing really changed in our routine; Paul would drop me to work, I'd mingle with the general public and annoy Sue, he'd then pick me up from work and we'd go home for food and sweet, sweet bang-bang playtime. Paul seemed all too happy with this new little way of life, and I wasn't exactly complaining either. But I think he also felt the slight anxiety surrounding Friday; it was a step of invasion on my part. I was becoming a part of his world more, and I couldn't help but wonder how disappointed he was going to feel when I was out of there faster than Usain Bolt across a finish line.

"What does one wear to meet a pack of devilishly handsome werewolves?" I muttered, browsing the small selection of women's wear in the local clothing store, Paul's borrowed money burning a hole in my pocket. Friday had finally gotten here. "Do I go with showing cleavage? Maybe some ass?"

An hour later found me joining a very sleepy looking Paul in the bed of his truck, a suitable outfit homed in the bag that swung from my wrist. My guess was that I had kept Paul waiting long enough for him to take a power nap. That and the fact that he was still probably sneaking out at night in order to partake in wolf-y activities. He grumbled something nonsensical as he started up the engine, barely looking back before pulling out of the lot and turning in the direction of home.

"You know, most girls would have planned their outfits ahead of time instead of a couple of hours before we're supposed to leave for Emily's," he muttered, eyes straying from the road to my face. "What was wrong with the clothes you have?"

"Well, I was getting tired of wearing the same pair of pants all the time, and neither of my two tops exactly scream family gathering," I countered, watching carefully for his reaction. I was on edge today, my gut telling me that I was treading on dangerous waters. I was gonna die or be gone before the sun rose. Either way, tonight would be the last that I would spend with Paul.

"It's not really a family gathering," he huffed, and for a moment I wondered if I had pushed the limit and said the wrong thing. "We're just having dinner at Emily's. A few of the guys, some of their girls. No big deal."

"No big deal, then no big titties," I responded, which ended with us both laughing. The real humour was the actual size of my boobs, but I tried not to let their smaller than preferred size be a downer. At least they'd stay perkier for longer.

"That's a good rule to live by," he continued after his chuckle fest. "And besides, I'd much rather keep them to myself anyway."

"Some people would say that's selfish," I offered, moving in the seat so I could fully face him now, my back against the passenger door. "But I'm pretty sure my boobs don't mind the attention you've been paying them recently."

"What can I say?" He shrugged, moving one hand from the steering wheel so now it rested on my thigh. "I like what I see."

"Uh-huh," I shifted my leg so he was forced to remove his hand. "And you'd want to keep your hands to yourself if you plan on being on time for dinner this evening."

"I think we can be a few minutes late," he conceded as we pulled up to the house. My insides were already squirming with anticipation.

As we left the truck behind, and his hand had already begun it's slow circles across my backside, a howl broke through the silence. It was terrifying and sharp and caused me to involuntarily take a step _away_ from Paul. He seemed too preoccupied with trying to locate the sound to notice my little reaction. It was odd to watch him; he tilted his head as if he understood what the howl meant, eyes scanning the line of trees on the border of his garden.

I wondered then, how I had managed to remain so calm for so long and separate the wolf from the man. I guess because I was so good at locking things into their boxes and remaining calm in situations that were out of the norm. It was how I had survived for this long. But this, this was fantastical and so far out of the norm that it belonged in another galaxy. Besides, I was due another mental break down any day now. I was just one of his explosive changes away from needing some new meds.

"Hey," Paul interrupted my thoughts, pulling me closer to him and switching his gaze from the trees to my face. "Can I just meet you here in an hour? I forgot to pick up something at the store, and Emily will kill me if I forget to bring her what she asked for."

"Sure," _Liar, you're going to do wolf things._ "I'll get myself ready here and meet you in an hour."

He nodded and all but ran back to the truck. The spare key seemed to taunt me as I slid it into the lock, the tires of Paul's truck cracking on the gravel behind me. Trying to remain calm, I took a number of deep breaths to try and slow my heartbeat. I felt as if the organ was clamouring against my ribcage, my pulse searing through my neck. If vampires did exist - which is something that very easily could be true, considering my current fuck buddy - I'm sure they'd love me right now; a walking, talking, sexual beacon of a blood timer. I waited, back pressed against the front door until I couldn't hear the engine any longer and then I bolted. I flew through the living room and headed straight to the bedroom, my outfit swinging from the bag. I threw it onto the bed, aiming for my own bag that was kicked to the side of the room against the dresser. I began packing as fast as possible, shoving items in at a pace that I had managed to accomplish after years of getting my ass on the road as quickly as possible.

I wasn't just going to disappear; we have previously established that that would be a stupid idea. Instead, I was going to be prepared to hightail it out of here tomorrow morning. I had said it before, but this was simply reaffirming my previous plan; no matter what happened tonight, I was on the first bus out of here in the morning. I knew where Paul kept his wallet, and I could easily nab whatever I needed to survive until the next town. No matter how good our scrumptious lovemaking had been, I felt zero guilt with the thoughts of repaying his 'kindness' - also known as prepping the lonesome hot chick for consumption and/or impregnation - with apparent robbery.

With my items packed, I took a moment to calm my breath, taking a seat on the unmade bed. Paulie was not the kind to accomplish household chores, and I deemed them completely unnecessary. Why bother to make a bed when you're only going to mess it again later? And yes, my mindless ranting about ridiculous things was yet another one of my coping methods. Congratulations reader, we are safely at the point for character development where you are learning more about me. Or, at least, learning just how ridiculously predictable I am.

I can manage a surprising amount of mental and physical abuse - I had learned this fun fact about myself over the years. When you're not given much choice, self-sufficiency and surviving normally outweighed any sort of freak out I would potentially have. It was the one useful thing about me, among the many skills I had learned on the street, and the one thing you should remember about me; when things got weird, I knew how to handle them. Again, refer to my previous discovery of Paul's tendency to burst _into a giant wolf_ as evidence of this statement. Man, if I wasn't such a screw-up, I would be an amazing lawyer,

"Yes your honour, you can see my nipples through this shirt, but that does not draw from the evidence that this man is a lunatic, and should be locked up immediately."

Snorting at my own idiocy, I stood from the bed and made my way to the room that was quickly becoming my favourite in the house; the ensuite. I was beginning to become soft and adore these daily hot showers, complete with added towel heater rail thingy ma-bob. Especially since our non-stop bang bang shamalang continuously left me aching and often covered in bruises, the hot water was like a dream come true. That, and the reality that my hair hadn't been this clean for this long in years. Anyways, the showers were good and I was going to miss this amount of luxury. It made me that much more determined to move onto a big city so that I could get in with a proper crew instead of the, and dare I say this, wolf pack.

* * *

Paul took longer to arrive home than I had expected. I was dressed in my new leggings and a long-sleeved shirt and ready and waiting to go by the time he arrived home. Heart hammering in my chest, I clutched the sofa pillow against my lap as I listened to his truck pull up, the heavy footfall, and the door finally opening.

"Annie?" he called out, but I knew he would reach me before I could answer. I turned in my seat to watch him walk in, eyes trailing over his form to try and see if I could find any evidence of his wolf-y behaviour. "Hey, you look nice."

"Clean and nice are not the same adjective," I argued, trying to allow my tone to settle into its normal sarcastic aloofness. See, I can use big words too.

"Whatever," he chuckled, stepping forward to place a kiss on my forehead. "Give me a minute to freshen up, and then we'll head,"

"Take your time," I called after him, the spot he had kissed me burning. I had to remind myself, this man was a wolf. And he was planning on eating me (which may or may not be true, but the more I convinced myself of that, the easier it would be to leave).

Why did he have to be so good looking? I groaned at my new found issue, throwing the pillow to the ground and lounging across the sofa. This would have been so much easier, and I wouldn't even be here in the first place if he wasn't so hot and made me feel _the tingles._ And by the tingles, I mean he knew what he was doing well enough that he could actually give me a bit of pleasure. And this wasn't exactly something I could ignore either, especially with my neck on the line. What was I expecting? It's not like he could keep me around forever, hoping I never stumble across his dirty little secret. And why was I still worrying over this? I'd already made my decision, and second-guessing myself was not something I was in the habit of doing.

"...so we're gonna have to wait until we come back from Emily's,"

Well, shit. He was back and had been talking, and I'd missed it entirely.

"We gonna have to wait to do what now?" I asked, blinking at him stupidly. No point in trying to cover up this time; my mind was too preoccupied to think of a way out of this.

"Sex. Me, you." he clarified, leaning over the back of the sofa to wrap his arms around my waist. "But for now, we gotta go."

He _hauled_ me over the back of the sofa like I weighed nothing, setting me on my feet like he just lifted a bag of sugar. Again, more of the stupid blinking and staring at his face. He looked at me expectantly, probably waiting for one of my smart ass remarks. Right, got it. C'mon girl, pull your shit together.

"Me, you, and sex are three of my favourite words," I supplied, slapping him lightly on the ass for the desired effect of producing one of his slow, smouldering smiles. "But I agree, I'm not sure how much Boss Man would appreciate being witness to one of our fun times."

"Boss Man?" Paul questioned as he followed me out of the house, locking the door behind us.

"Your buddy Jacob," I supplied, waiting for him to double-check the locks. I had always assumed this was a tight-knit community, but Paulie always seemed to be overly wary of the security of his house. "AKA, leader of the gang."

I _almost_ said pack.

"Wow, that's a new one," he chuckled and looked like he was contemplating whether or not to divulge this information to said hard ass. "I'm sure he'd love that one."

"Yeah yeah," I continued the conversation once we were settled in the bed of his truck and I had cranked the heat on high. It was a lot colder on the Pennisula than I had previously guessed. That, or maybe I was just used to being so close to Paulie's heat that I was unable to face any sort of cold temperature anymore.

"Do you ever wonder what things would be like if they'd been different, if you'd never come here?" he asked, out of the blue. I appraised his face, but he refused to look at me, too intent on starting up the engine and backing out of the driveway.

"Well, you'd have less sex," I ventured, entirely unsure where he was going with this conversation. Was this it? Was he about to propose wolf-babies?

"I just used to think I was doomed for a star-crossed romance," he chuffed, glancing at me quickly as we pulled out onto the main road. "I thought I would have something that was all-loving, all-consuming. But I like this. I like being with you."

I had no idea how to respond. What the fuck do you respond to that? 'Yes Mr Wolf Man, I'm beginning to fall for you?' Even if I thought that was the singular way to save my ass, the only thing I adored about Paulie was his sweet moves in the bedroom. And maybe his pancake making skills. But this was skirting dangerously towards feelings territory. And, as much as I appreciated the fact that he was saying that he _didn't_ feel completely obsessed with me, he was still admitting that he felt something for me. And that simply would not do. Regardless of his nightly activities, I was in no way endeared, attached, or in like with him, never mind in love with anything he could offer or provide. Sure, a hot shower was nice. And yes, I adore having my brains rearranged by all his adorings. But like him enough to stay? Never.

"I dunno what to tell you, Paulie, I'm pretty hot and fun to be around," That's it, dazzle him with humour.

He laughed, and we relaxed back into a more normal conversation, but I was thrown. If I had been stupid enough to not assume that tonight meant something, my presumptions had been proven correct by his thoughts. Something was happening tonight, but I just wasn't sure yet what that was. I was hoping it was something along the lines of wolfman lover - or the like - and not dinner time for the pack with me as the main course.

"Before we arrive," he began, pulling me from my thoughts of what sort of sauce I'd be more delicious with. "Don't stare at Emily. Sam hates it when people stare. You'll see what I mean when you meet her, but she was in an accident a few years back."

"Sure, no problem," I complied, mildly curious. "Probably not anything I haven't seen before anyway."

He seemed to relax a little more, removing a hand from the steering wheel and placing it on my knee instead. I'm not sure what he thought my reaction would be to Emily; go slack-jawed and make some rude comment? Not that that would be anything out of the ordinary for me, but it's not like I didn't know how to act in public. I'd been the girl of some of the more influential gangs in larger cities, I knew the game of social politics. I was just inclined not to follow them unless I had to.

"You're going to meet the rest of the guys too," he continued, his excitement seeming more genuine now that we were almost at The Gathering - a name I had fondly given this event. "I don't think you have too many left to meet at this stage."

"I've met Quil, Jared, Jacob, and apparently Sam," I counted off on my fingers. Just how many wolf-men were there in his little pack?

"You still have Embry, Seth, Leah, Brady, and Colin," he concluded. "And the majority of them in relationships will have their girlfriends with them tonight."

"Joy," There was a wolf-woman? "Girlfriends are _exactly_ the kind of people I get along with."

"At least try," he reasoned. "I'm sure all the guys are going to love you."

 _Love eating me you mean._

Man, I had to stop with my own internal dialogue. It was like I was trying to see how far I could push myself mentally before my well-trained mind broke and couldn't handle this bizarre situation anymore. Besides, I still had to confirm that _all_ of them were wolf-men/women. Although let's be real, your girl is not that stupid. I may be many, many things in life. But I like to think that mentally challenged is not one of them.

We pulled up to a quaint little house a few minutes later. It reminded me a little of Paulie's, though the wood was a dark pine, and there was a well-kept garden out front, as well as window boxes filled with flowers at every available window. The place definitely held a woman's touch, although there was a similar truck to Paulie's parked out front. I was beginning to think that these men all survived off the same aesthetic. Regardless, the place screamed 'homey' and I imagined it was the sort of house that constantly and consistently smelled of back goods. Sign number one that I was guaranteed not to get on with the occupants of the household. But, I was willing to give it a shot. The worst that could end up happening was having a wolf-man lose his temper with me. Oh, boy was I about to test some peoples' patience.

"Ready?" Paul asked once he had shut off the engine. I snorted at his attempt at chivalry and hopped out of the truck. I was right, it was cold outside, but I was in no hurry to get inside without Paulie by my side, and he was taking his sweet time getting out and joining me at The Gathering.

"You'll be fine," he continued when he finally met me at the front of the truck. He draped an arm around my shoulders, which I assumed he felt was a comforting gesture. Unfortunately, it was, and I snuggled against the insane heat his body always emitted. I wonder if that was a wolf thing too?

"I apologise in advance," I teased, as we climbed the three steps up the porch, and waited outside the door after knocking. I'm sure Paulie would normally stroll right in if the behaviour at his friends at his home was any indicator but didn't want to appear so informal with me.

Even though Paul had warned me, I wasn't really expecting the lady who answered the door. She was pretty in a 'mother nature vibe' sort of way, though one half of her face was marred by three large scars. It took my brain a second to put two and two together and realise that, maybe, one of the wolf-men might have done that. And too her face. We all had scars, and I had my fair share, but the evidence of the danger being around them presented suddenly intensified my flight or fight instinct. Paul must have noticed the change in me because he gave my shoulder a squeeze, prompting my brain to kick back into gear and offer the following charming statement;

"Shit, that looks like that must have hurt."

 **Apologies for my seeming abandonment of this fanfiction; it was unintentional but unfortunately unavoidable. Life has a way of getting priority over my preferred hobbies and past times. I'm hoping to return to this work with more frequent updates. Thank you to those who may have stayed with this and continue to read, and welcome to those who are new. Hopefully, the new update will not be too far in the future.**

 **Thanks again,**

 **Bram**


	6. Chapter Six

"Shit, that looks like that must have hurt."

Paulie squeezed my shoulder, hard. I yelped slightly, and he made a 'tsk'-ing noise, obviously scolding me. It was easy to forget at times that he had a temper, he was usually more placid around me (well, unless it involved undressing and pleasing me). His gaze was hot and angered, blazing the side of my face. But I refused to meet it; I can't help the fact that I'm honest. And I definitely had nothing to do with half of her face being ruined. The guys, wolves, seemed to be the ones responsible for that, a fact I would bet good money on. Emily - or at least, who I was assuming was Emily - seemed a little shocked and unable to answer my greeting.

"Sorry," I offered, trying to smooth over any offence I may have caused by pointing out the obvious. Really, I was just afraid of being killed quicker than intended. That, or not getting any fun time with Paulie later. "I tend to lack a filter when it comes to voicing my thoughts."

"There's nothing to apologise for," She assured me, a smile replacing her face as she seemed to get over my little blunder. "It's not every day I meet someone brave enough to comment on my scars."

"And it's not every day that I meet someone whose house smells so good," I returned. That's it, get them where you know they care.

"I'm glad you think so," she laughed, stepping aside and gesturing us further into her home. "Dinner is almost ready. I'm not sure if you've met all the guys yet."

Boom; nailed it. I may be a little rough around the edges, but I wouldn't have survived as long as I have if I didn't know how to read and treat people. I have my moments, especially when I don't catch my own thoughts and let my smart-ass mouth run away with myself, but I could usually get myself out of any hole that I've dug into. I continued the compliments as we stepped into the hallway. The house, which was supposedly filled with the rest of Paul's packmates, was eerily quiet. Then again, they could just be a bunch of creepy dudes, who wanted to listen in on our conversation.

"I'm pretty sure I've met the majority of the guys before," I revealed, turning to look at Paulie who had allowed me into the house first. "Remember Paulie, at the diner?"

"I had forgotten that," he admitted, stepping aside and allowing Emily to pass by him and direct us towards the kitchen. "Though, I'm sure most of them were a little more focused on your smart mouth than actually taking into account what you looked like."

"You see?" I addressed Emily, rolling my eyes in a 'what are men like?' kind of way. "It's not just with you, I promise."

She laughed, again, leading us into the suspiciously empty kitchen and allowing us to take a seat around the surprisingly small table. Seeing the disbelief on my face, Paulie informed me we would be eating outside. Again, my mind ran away with me and I imagined myself being roasted on a giant spit while the guys howled at the moon and the women danced around naked. Why they had to be naked, I'm not so sure, but that's what I'm going with. The best things always happened when women were naked. At least, that's what feminism has been trying to tell me.

"Is lasagne alright for dinner?" Emily then asked, focusing her attention more on me than Paulie. Which is fair; that man could eat dirt and he'd be happy.

"Sounds delicious, Italian is my favourite," I conceded, my smile turning sickly sweet as I transformed into the role of gal pal.

"Where's Elan?" Paul interjected, seeming a little disappointed that said person hadn't made their presence known immediately.

"Kim has him with her mom," Emily explained, turning from the stove to face us, a sauce bubbling away happily behind her. "I thought it would be nice for her to spend some time with him, considering she's so far along with her pregnancy. She's starting to get a little nervous about things."

"Elan is Emily and Sams' son," Paul explained, remembering I was present and didn't have a clue who they were discussing. "He's what, two now Emily?"

And she did that annoying thing where she answered with her baby's age in months.

"He's nineteen months," My god woman, just say he's one and a half. Yet another reason why I would not be welcomed into any mommy circles; I'd end up calling them out on bullshit like this. And so, I did the only thing I could to move swiftly along with this conversation and stop myself from angering the previous incubator of the wolf-baby.

"Would you like a hand with anything?" I asked sweetly.

"That would be great," Gotcha mommy. "Paul, the boys are outside."

"Scoot it, mister," We both stood at the instructions and I bumped him out of the way with my hip. His goofy smile told me everything I needed to know; he was delighted and I was _so_ getting some later. I mean, if I wasn't dead and consumed before then. He left us in peace and I could hear his laughter float in after him through the back door.

"Would you mind finishing the salad? It just needs to be tossed," She directed, and I took my place at the counter, fluffing about with the leaves and raw vegetables in an attempt at making a posh salad. "It's so nice to have another girl around."

Ah, so we were having chit chats while we worked. Not that I minded; I knew when to 'hmm' and 'ahh' at the appropriate times.

"Renesme," _Snort._ Seriously? And the award for the dumbest name goes to. "And Kim are usually around. But, as I said, Kim's pregnancy has been really tough in this final trimester and she's spending some time with her mom. And you won't meet Renesme tonight, she's busy with school."

"That's alright, I hope to meet them some other time."

"I'm sure you will," I was beginning to get the impression that Emilys' welcoming aura may not have been as genuine as I originally believed. Sure, her smile seemed sweet and it appeared I had been forgiven for my previous transgressions, but something made me believe that her attitude was a little more forced than what would come naturally to her. That and the fact that her smile seemed a little pained than anything now. "So, you're with Quil?"

"Sam," she corrected. Damn it, almost had it. "Kim is with Jared, and Jacob is with Renesme."

"And I'm with Paulie," I chanced, watching her face closely. Sure enough, her eyes tightened and her smile faltered slightly. Ah-ha! Now I was on to something. "Although, we've only known each other a short amount of time, so I wouldn't dream of placing us in the same category as yourself and the other gals."

"Well, we'll see," she continued with her smile now in place, facing me with what she must assume was a welcoming gesture. "Who knows? You may be with us for a long time."

Or eaten by wolves. Who knows, lady. Maybe you'll be having me in your lasagne tonight.

"I think the salad is tossed enough," she conceded, keeping her smile going. Wow, she'd be amazing in a customer service role. "Would you mind bringing that and some more plates out back to the guys? We have the benches and tables set up already, most of them are playing some ball I think."

"Sure," I had done a bit of serving way back when, so I could manage the salad bowl, along with some servings plates and napkins.

What kind of ball did werewolves play? The question plagued me as I made my way out into the back garden. I had to admit, the back was just as well kept as the front and was absolutely gorgeous. They had a long wooden bench that I'm assuming was purchased from need rather than aesthetics, and even had little tiki torches that had been stuck into the ground. Upon closer inspection, I realised that the bench and table were made of combined smaller tables that looked like they would seat four people. I wondered if Emily had to buy more to accommodate the rest of the boys. Though, with the weather being so shitty here, I wondered if they actually got any use out of both the benches and the torches. I even spotted a fire pit further down the garden, surrounded by tree stumps. Their yard was bordered by the beginning of the forest, the trees growing thick and dense within a few feet of the grass. It was scenic and calm and I _hated_ it.

"There she is," I heard Paulie before I saw him, but he was with me in a moment, taking the stack of plates and salad from me and placing them on the table.

"What a gentleman," I mumbled, keeping my gaze on the group of guys that were tossing a football between them. I counted six men and one lone female. Though, she cut a nice silhouette. She may not have been as tall as the others, but she wasn't far off and from a distance looked as if she was built from lean muscle. Maybe it was all the running about in the forest that did it. For me, it was usually malnutrition and drugs that kept me skinny. But I guess everyone's metabolism and needs were different.

"We're just waiting on Seth to get here, and I think Jared said that Kim might drop by with Elan after shopping with her mom, but other than that, the gang is all here and ready to meet you."

"Well, lead the way then."

His enthusiasm was sickening.

But, nonetheless, I allowed him to lead me over to the group of wolf-men, many of whom looked up at my approach. See? I even know how to use whom correctly.

Anyway, they soon gathered themselves around me with varying facial expressions, though the running theme seemed to be slight hostility mixed with confusion. One of them, I think it was Quil, was smiling at me already. He even did a dorky little wave thing, which I returned with a slow smile. Paul made sure to place a burning hand around my hip as he spoke to them.

"Guys, this is Annie," he glanced at me and I took it as my turn to speak.

"Pleasure to meet you all," I announced, trying my hardest to not saying anything wolf-related. They didn't need to know that I knew the thing they didn't want me to know.

"Wait, I thought it was Bianca?" Yes, that was definitely Quil.

"Yes, it is. Annie-Bianca, I tend to shake it up depending on my mood."

"So not Luna or Rebecca either then?" Jacob cut in, arms folded tightly across his chest. And here I thought I finally had him on my side.

"They're my middle names," I replied easily. Did they seriously think this line of questioning was going to intimidate me?

"You're full of shit then," the girl finally spoke. Leah, I think Paulie said. But I'm terrible with my own names, nevermind anyone else. Besides, who put the stick up this girls ass? Surely being surrounded by a bunch of hot, albeit shape-shifting, men were a less than horrible situation. Maybe she's a lesbian.

"Probably," I answered, shrugging nonchalantly while Paulie was doing that weird non-verbal facial communication thing.

She seemed a little taken aback by my answer, but continued to glare at me as if I was the one to tell her that Santa doesn't exist. Spoiler kiddies, he doesn't. Sorry to burst your bubble.

"Leah," Paulie warned. Clearly he needed to work on his telepathy.

"Dinner!" Emily called from the doorway, cutting off any reply Leah may have had. The boys looked like they had been told that their favourite toy was on sale, the way they acted. Even Paulie left me behind to get his place at the bench, though Jacob did throw an angry glance my direction before pursuing his goal of food. I was slower to follow, keeping my eyes on Leah's shoulder that seemed to be permanently locked against the side of her ears. This girl had anger issues.

Luckily, Paulie had remembered to save me a seat and pulled me down next to him on the bench. His plate was already loaded with slices of garlic bread, a mountain of potato salad, and a large helping of steaming lasagna. Thankfully, I didn't eat much and settled for a scoop of the raw salad I had lovingly tossed and some of the bread. The boys didn't seem up to many conversations and the evening air was filled with annoying eating sounds. I couldn't help but let my gaze roam down the benches, watching each of them and trying to identify those I knew, and guessing the pack members that I didn't yet know. If I was going to be eaten - maybe I was the delicious dessert - I wanted to memorise the faces of the guys that would be chowing down on me later. I shivered at my own mental innuendo and tried to keep my ridiculous attraction for Paulie under control.

Jared and Jacob had, surprisingly, taken a seat across from us. Boss Man was muttering away to the former between bites of food. Jared simply nodded along, his already quite chubby cheeks puffed out as he tried to inhale as much food as quickly as possible. Quil had taken a seat next to me and I appreciated the provided heat. He was silent for now, thankfully, but had cleared half of his plate already. I assumed this was only his first serving, however, and I would be safe at least until he managed to get seconds into him. Sam, Mr Cranky Daddy, had taken a seat near the top of the table with Emily by his side. He kept a firm grasp of her hand as they ate, Emily taking slow and polite bites. Sam seemed the tamest of them all, actually appreciating the food he ate.

I wonder if there was some sort of a power struggle there, between Sam and Jacob. It was clear that Jacob was an identified leader here, but Sam's very obvious attempt to position himself in the metaphorical seat of domination was overzealous and phoney. I could _smell_ the attempt to undermine Boss Man's authority from a mile away. Leah, it seemed, had the misfortune of her scowl being permanently etched into her features, even while eating. She caught me staring and the glare turned vicious. I simply smiled sweetly at her, before returned to my appraisal of the table.

There were the three left that I didn't know, but assumed I would be introduced to once the feeding had finished. One of the three was obviously the older and was more brawn than the rest. Even with being a little bulkier, his eyes remained downcast and he seemed a little shy. Totally not my type, so I didn't see any reason to be interested. The last two were younger and chatted away to one another as they scarfed down any food they could lay their hands on. I snorted aloud when I made the mental comparison of the two with puppies.

Paul rested his hand on my thigh following my audible reaction to internal thought. With his mouth full, he gave me the silent and universal 'what's up' eyebrow raise. I shook my head, not planning on telling him any time soon what had been going through my head.

"How's the food, Annie?" Emily called from her place at the table, eyes swivelling in my direction.

"Delicious," I responded, taking a bite of bread for emphasis. What did she want from me, it was just food? So what, the bitch could cook. Didn't mean she owned the whole god damn world.

"Seth is on the way," one of the younger boys called, cellphone in hand as he read the message. "He said he's just picking up Sue from work and they'll be on their way."

"Sue has a son?" I asked, directing my question towards Paulie. Presumably, a community this small only had one person called Sue and I assumed someone her age - if Seth was a partner- would not be hanging out with these guys. That left the assumption of a son.

"Yup, he's one of the guys," he clarified, finally seeming to slow down as his second plate emptied. "He studied in a college off the Rez, and now works in Forks hospital. It's a little difficult for him to get time off to spend with us, so we're looking forward to seeing him."

"Is he like Sue?" Let him interpret that how he will. I meant to say was he as easy going and truth evoking as Sue but kept that to myself.

"He definitely has her heart," Leah interrupted a slight smirk on her face. "But his sense of humour is all from his dad."

I tried not to roll my eyes. Leah definitely had the hots for him, or some sort of interest to offer a description like that. I wonder if she also had liked Paul at some point, and was that the reason for her immediate dislike of me. To make a point, I moved closer to Paul, wrapping one arm around his waist and resting my chin on his shoulder. He seemed comfortable with the contact, his grip on my thigh tightening. Her gaze tightened again. Gotcha.

"So, Leah," I began, ready to strike in a way only someone who knew how to play could. "Do you have a partner that will be joining us?"

The table fell silent and it looked like Leah had begun to shake in rage, arms rattling slightly and I didn't think the poor fork would survive the death grip she currently had on it. Damn, what kind of secret had I uncovered here. I let the silence grow, a few of the guys shifting uncomfortably in their seats.

"No, I'm not currently with anyone," she replied, unable to think of any sort of comeback. "I tend not to try to get under every guy I come across."

"You should try getting on top of them then, it's a lot more fun."

Cue Paul spitting water out, some of it spurting through his nose (his ridiculous attempt at avoiding this confrontation was to take a large gulp) and Quil's outrageously loud laughter. I continued to smile at her as a few of the other guys chuckled, the quite guy leaning across and murmuring at Leah in what I assumed was his attempt to ease her anger. What a sweetheart. These wolf-boys really had each others' backs.

"Can we keep her?" Quil asked no one in particular, smiling at me like I was the world's greatest discovery.

"If she learns how to watch her manners," Jacob chided, leaning back from the bench to cross his arms. I was beginning to think that a frown and arms crossed in front of his chest were a part of his aesthetic. "Sounds like Seth is here."

God damn, these wolves must have super hearing, because I didn't hear a damn thing. But, soon enough, Sue was stepping out into the garden, all smiles. She somehow managed to look even more the yummy mummy in a summer dress and shawl wrap. A man followed her, his pale skin coming as a shock. I was getting so used to Paul and his friends, that it was odd seeing someone with the same skin tone as my own. What terrified me, was the fact that he was in a police uniform. Immediately, my senses were on high alert and my back straightened. I leaned towards Paul to whisper in his ear, keeping my gaze trained on the middle-aged man as he greeted everyone.

"Whatever he wants, I didn't do it," I assured him. I was met with a slight chuckle. "Paul, I'm serious."

"Calm down, that's just Charlie," he responded, raising a hand in greeting at the cop. "But, I'm definitely chalking this down as a conversation we need to have later."

The comment made me flinch and I turned to glare at him, my independence rearing its ugly head. He didn't need to know a thing about me, and we did not have to have a talk. What did he think I was, his girlfriend? No buddy, I'm just your dessert/incubator for your human-wolf hybrid. He may be hot, but I was beginning to think he was overstepping the line. Even if I hadn't found out about his habit of bursting into a mythical creature, it was definitely a good idea to be getting out of here sooner rather than later. Finally, the last member of the wolf group stepped out into the fading sunlight, a large smile glued across his face.

I hated him already.

A couple of the guys left the bench to go great him, the two younger ones seeming especially enthusiastic. Jacob, to my surprise, also rose, a rare smile making his features less handsome. What can I say? I liked the brooding type.

As the guys fawned over Seth, Sue came over to take Quil's empty space, greeting me warmly and complimenting me on my look. We chatted for a little bit, me asking how she had managed to leave the store in the hands of those college kids. She informed me she had closed the store for the evening. Apparently, she didn't get to see Seth very often, so when he came home she closed the store early and many of the patrons were entirely understanding.

"It's sweet that you're willing to take time out for him," I commented, surprising even myself at my honesty. Sue could be a god damn psychologist if she wanted to be. She's already gotten me to admit several things with little to no effort.

"I'll introduce you to him when he's done talking to the boys," she assured me.

"I didn't know you liked her Mom," Leah, again with the interruption, had moved down the bench until she was across from us.

And, my brain died. Mom?

"Sue's you mom?" I asked. This did not compute. How could anyone so angry come out of Sue?

"Well, duh," Leah answered, a smug smile taking over from the previous glare. "You're not so smart, are you."

"My brains were never my strong point," I agreed. Knowing when someone has one-upped you, is just as important as your comeback game. "But with an ass like this, who needs brains?"

I was surprised by Sue's snort of laughter, having completely forgotten that she was sitting right beside me. My cheeks heated and I felt something I haven't felt in decades; embarrassment. Even if the boys weren't as dangerous as I'm assuming they are, Sue - and being around her - was. I mean, I did just try to come for her daughter and make a comment about my own ass in the same sentence. And she found it funny. A strange, uncomfortable feeling settled in my chest, right between my boobs. I tried rubbing at the spot, wondering if Emily's _amazing_ cooking had given me heartburn.

"Actually, there is something I wanted to ask Sam about the upcoming council meeting," Sue stood again, her longs legs straddling back over the bench. "Do excuse me Vio-Annie. I'll speak to you soon."

Bristling at her almost slip-up, I watched her join Charlie as they spoke with Sam. I did not miss the subtle hand that Charlie placed on the small of her back and I couldn't help but grin to myself. Either he was getting some, or wanted to get some. Either way, they were cute together. That also got me wondering about Sue's husband and Leahs' dad. It seemed a little unlikely that Charlie was their father, considering that both Leah and Seth - who was still talking animatedly with Jacob - appeared to be full-blood Native American. Then again, as Leah pointed out ever so sweetly, I may not have been the smartest cookie in the jar.

"Finally," Paul pulled my attention away from Charlie and Sue to the approaching Jacob and Seth. "Hey man!"

"Hey guys," Even his voice was light and airy, and I noticed his smile dimpled his left cheek. Ew, I hated pretty boys. But a pretty boy with an obviously positive personality? God, he was worse than Quil.

"Seth, this is Annie,"

"Nice to meet yo-"

The boy in question paused in his journey to taking a seat across from me, and he looked up, his gaze meeting mine. And he just, sort of...stopped?

It was, by far, the weirdest interaction I've had so far with Paulie's little group. His eyes widened, mouth falling open from his smile into an open-mouth 'o'. The look sent a shiver along my arms, goosebumps appearing along my skin. He creeped me out, the way he was looking at me as if I was the virgin Mary herself. Then, as if by magic, he smiled. And it was the brightest smile I've ever seen in my whole god damn life. Feeling uncomfortable, I re-wrapped myself around Paul, one arm around his waist and one hand on his lap. Seth, this _dude who would not stop staring_ , followed the motion and suddenly frowned. Wow, definitely could see the family resemblance there. If looks could kill.

"Paul, what-"

But my sentence was cut short by an 'oh fuck' and the bench being flipped.

With little old me still on it.

 _ **Well, here we go. I'm hoping to get back to a more consistent pattern for uploads. I have also noticed that the earlier chapters have some weird typos (which, maybe I missed during editing, but they really jump out so I'm unsure if it's me or this site) but I will be going back through the chapters soon and editing them with regards to this. No content will change. Apologies if this has been frustrating for some or hindered your reading experience.**_


	7. Chapter Seven

Oh boy, was I in pain.

It was everywhere, burning hot, and unignorable. I couldn't breathe, and I knew immediately that I was slightly winded and very much hurt. And it felt like a rib or two had been fractured. Trying to calm myself and slow down my attempts at gasping for air, I tried to take an assessment of my injuries.

My shoulder throbbed, and it felt like it was probably dislocated, or at least bruised. My ribs were definitely injured, but the was a stabbing pain in my lower abdomen also. Well, that was going to need some attention soon. Also, I'm pretty sure my wrist was broken, but that pain had yet to fully register in my brain.

The next thing that kicked in was the sounds; there was shouting and crying, and low, guttural growling. I'm pretty sure that would be the wolves. Finally, my breathing became slower and I was able to grasp a full lung worth of air. My eyes fluttered open and everything suddenly crashed back into focus, my senses awakening in a way you only experience after waking up after a good old knock to the head. Several of the guys were shouting, but I couldn't make out exactly what they were saying. There was still weight on top of me, and all I could see was the dark wood of the bench. That would explain the majority of my injuries and inability to breathe at first. And then, it disappeared, worried faces appearing before my vision.

"Hellosh thuuur," I slurred, fighting nausea and the need to pass out. After a knock to the head, passing out -again- was the last thing you wanted to do. My wrist and stomach hurt like a bitch, the pain catching up to me and calling for the need for attention. But my body was used to pain; I could ignore it.

I realised too late that my mouth had been filled with blood, which spluttered out while I spoke and was now running down my chin. Quil's face, the most recognisable in the few that blurred in and out of my vision, looked panicked. He kept shouting my name. Damn it, I was crushed not deaf.

"Shhhh," I started, trying to get him to shut the hell up. "Too loud. Get Paulie."

"Annie, I'm here," his face appeared and I couldn't help but notice a _very_ important detail.

"Why are you naked?" I frowned, suddenly more interested in the fact that he was wearing absolutely nothing in front of our little gathering. Where in the world did his clothes go? Yes, sweet shock. Turn my brain to goo and take the pain away. "We agreed on sex later, not now. You might get a splinter."

"I think she's in shock," Quil offered, frowning at me.

"Yes, the shock is good," I answered, attempting to lift my non-broken wrist. Thankfully, my dislocated shoulder was on the same side as it, so I managed to at least lift uninjured my arm slightly. "You need to get me medical attention before it wears off. And then comes bang-bang playtime."

With my unaffected arm, I tried to feel for my stomach where the pain was coming from. I was a little shocked when my hand met wood, but it was snatched away before I could continue my explorations. My vision was blocked then by a single face, his warm hands cupping my face. _Seth._

I was terrified to see that he was in tears, eyes jumping around my face and down my form.

"Oh god," he murmured. "I'm so sorry, so so sorry. We need to get you to the hospital."

"Fine, fine," I did not like him touching me, or being near me. He needed to get a grip; wasn't he supposed to be a doctor or something? "Get Paulie to take me."

"I'll do it," he argued, frowning at me now. "I'm a trained doctor, I can handle this best. Quil, call Carlisle and get him here in an ambulance now!"

"No, I want Paul," I was standing my ground. Trying to crane my neck to find him again, I could hear his low voice mumbling away to someone.

"It's alright, I'm here, everything will be fine," Seth rambled, stroking my hair.

"It hurts," I clarified, more than over his ministrations and touchiness. "I want Paul."

"I'm still here Annie," he called, though his voice was strained. Was he hurt? Not that I cared, but I wanted to know if I was the only asshole who got injured in this situation.

"You're coming with me right?" But my question remained unanswered and I was ignored as people continued to argue around me, and Seth continued to touch me.

I was beginning to shiver, a sure sign that shock had finally set in, and I rode it out, gazing beyond Seth's face to the darkening sky. I tried to wiggle my toes with success, so at least my back hadn't been injured. I was concerned with the fact that I felt damp, especially along my stomach, but figured it could have been one of the drinks on the bench. The bench itself was destroyed, and I imagined I was quite a sight, lying amongst the broken boards. I was annoyed, frustrated, and really hoped Seth would _stop touching me._

"Who won your little brawl?" I asked, finally meeting his gaze.

"I-I don't know," he answered, staring at me openly now.

"Paul then," was my response, rolling my eyes at his idiocy. What the hell was his problem? "I'm waiting for morphine, to be treated, and then you have a lot of explaining to do."

I could hear the sirens in the distance. Seth seemed a little more relieved but continued to hold my head in his hands, worry furrowing his brow. His skin was too hot, and I could feel every inch of my skin that he was touching. It was weird and electric and I did not like it, not one little bit. It seemed that he wasn't giving me an option and new voices joined the fray. Seth started barking orders at them, shuffling aside for a new, unearthly face joined.

"Who the fuck are you?" I questioned, flinching when an ice-cold hand was placed on my neck. "Are you some sort of fairy?"

"She'll be ok," he was speaking to Seth in a voice that was airy and near perfection. Almost immediately I didn't trust him.

"Paul!" I shouted, pissed off that these two dickheads were ignoring me, speaking their mumbo jumbo medical terms. "I do not want to go with these people. I am feeling very unsafe."

"Annie, just trust them," his voice answered, and I wondered why they weren't letting him near me. Were they worried he was going to hurt me?

"I swear, if you don't arrive at the hospital, I'm going to murder you!"

His answering chuckle was enough for me, and I turned back to glare at the fairy who was already pushing a syringe of something into my vein on my arm. I assumed it was morphine, which I was thankful for as my temper had started sharpening the pain I was beginning to feel everywhere. They continued to talk about internal bleeding and getting me back to the hospital. More hands joined Seth, and with a count, I was lifted onto what I assumed was a stretcher. Joy. I hadn't' been in an ambulance in a while, but it always made me feel like I was in a washing machine, and had never been a fun trip. While I was never directly involved with the dealings of gangs, sometimes bullets went astray, or you got in the way of a stabbing. Apart from that, a few of the guys I had been with turned nasty, and I'd broken a number of bones in the past. Thankfully, they never did much damage to my face, so I managed to keep my looks. Thank god.

We were moving now, stars beginning to dot in the sky. How long had I been here? They streamed past as we dashed around the side of the house and into the ambulance. My calls for Paul to come with me were ignored, Seth hushing me and assuring me I would be fine and he'd look after me. The only looking after he could do would be staring at my ass when I walked away. My head was beginning to feel light as I was loaded up, stars being replaced by a white ceiling and the faces of Seth and the fairy.

"Ah, morphine," I murmured, twisting my head to get a proper look at this doctor fellow. "It's a wonderful thing doc."

"Glad you think so," he answered, his smile dazzling as his eyes trailed along my body.

"How bad am I hit?" I questioned, and when he didn't answer I turned my gaze to Seth.

"Possible fractured ribs, dislocated shoulder, trauma with a foreign object in the lower abdomen," Seth listed off, hands fluttering uselessly over my body.

"Don't forget the broken wrist," I added, watching as both of their eyes zoomed immediately to my swelling wrist. "At least, I think it's broken."

"How's the pain?" Seth asked, his voice almost a whine.

"Better, morphine is settling in," I responded, my eyelids feeling heavy. Do not fall asleep. "I think I might pass out."

"Try not to," he begged, his hand yet again on the side of my face. His heat was doing nothing to help my pain. "We'll be at the hospital soon and we can get you straight into surgery."

Here I was, worried that I was going to be eaten or impregnated tonight and instead I get crushed by a bench. I guess I was definitely in the shit now. I'm sure our little trip to the hospital was going to throw a major spanner in the works by delaying my departure and revealing some things I would rather keep to myself. Either way, there was nothing I could do about it now, and I wasn't stupid enough to put my health in danger just because of a couple of secrets I'd like to keep. I could hear the two of them whispering, but about what I didn't really care. It was probably something to do with my stupidity or my current state. Either way, it didn't concern me and I was content to wander on the border of consciousness and morphine-induced bliss.

Sooner than I had expected, we stopped, and the back doors were flung open. And we were off again, rushing down corridors as new faces took their place above me. Seth was always there, always touching me, but I had stopped caring. I kind of just wanted to sleep, the itch of pain remaining in the back of my mind but dulled by beautiful drugs. Before surgery, I was transferred over onto another bed and my clothes cut open, though it was only to reveal the site of the wound on my stomach. IVs were attached and nurses were called to prepare for the aforementioned surgery. I didn't listen to their rambles, or Seth barking orders at everyone around him, though his voice was more panicked than dominating.

I was left with him for a little while eventually, him petting my hair and rambling on about things, while I soaked in the environment, smelling the antiseptic in the air. It was bizarre; if you had asked me how tonight would have ended, being in the hospital with some weird guy who thought it was perfectly fine to invade my personal space, would not have been my first choice. And yet, here we were. I had already begun to dip in and out of paying attention to what was going on around me and keeping track of the heart monitor next to me. All that was left to do was wait for them to be ready for me and, whether or not this was Seth's influence, the wait was short and I was being wheeled into an operating theatre before I even had the chance to do any good amount of snooping.

"Now, I want you to count back from ten," the nurse instructed, strapping one of those masks over my head.

"Ten, nine, eight," I was already beginning to feel the haze and so, wanting to leave them with a bit of sage advice before I blacked out, I mumbled whatever I could before sleep inevitably took me.

"Nobody look at my tits."

* * *

Of course, I have no idea what went on after I blacked out. I'm not some sort of astral projection kiddos, I was asleep for the whole thing. After that, things become hazy in a way that only drugs can make it. Ah, I missed drugs. I barely remember waking up in the recovery room, being transferred to ICU for a couple of hours, before I was allowed my own private room. It was here that I woke up what I assume was several hours later, with a lone figure at the end of my bed, clasping my uninjured hand. Trying not to wake them, for fear that it would begin his need to touch my face again, I made a quick mental check of my body.

My wrist was in a cast that travelled up my forearm, with my arm in a sling tied tightly to my chest. Definitely a break then. I tried to inhale as deeply as I could, my ribs straining in pain, as well as a bandage that had been wrapped around my torso restricting the movement. I guess that wood I had felt earlier wasn't on me like I had originally assumed, but in me. Other than that, I just felt bruised, sore, and a little disorientated for having been out of it for so long. I could already feel my irritation mounting; I hated having to recover in hospitals. The food was shit, the people were shit, and I was usually left to my own devices to be bored out of my mind. In an attempt to quench the latter, and to find out more information, I kicked against the body on my bed.

Seth shot up faster than I could say 'wolf' and blinked the sleep out of his eyes. The hand around mind tightened substantially before his eyes found mind. He smiled lazily, eyes lighting up at the sight of me. The more I got to know this dude, the less I liked him.

"Hey," his voice was deep and husky like he hadn't drunk water in a good few hours. It was _maybe a_ little bit attractive. Just a little though. "How're you feeling?"

"Sore," I responded, though I knew my best pal morphine was keeping the worst at bay. "How long was I out?"

"The surgery was close to nine hours," he informed me, trying to stretch out his back without letting go of my hand. I tried to wriggle it from his grasp but he either didn't notice or didn't care. Selfish prick. "And recovery took another five. Everyone has been asking about you."

"Where's Paulie?" I demanded and immediately his face darkened. I'm sure he expected me to jump up and down and call him my hero, but I wasn't forgetting that this was probably his fault - guilty until proven innocent had kept me alive more than once - and I wanted to hear from Paul exactly what had happened.

"He's outside, but I don't think you're up for visitors right now," he tried to convince me.

"Well, you're here," I responded, letting a little bit of malice slip into my tone. "Why don't you leave and let Paul in?"

"You really want me to go?" His voice broke, any trace of anger that he previously had draining from his face. "I thought you'd want me around, you know, considering..."

"Considering what, that you're the one that put me in this position?" I finally tugged my hand lose and pulled it away from him. He looked like I just broke his heart. "Look, I don't know what you want from me, or who you think you are, but I'd like to speak with Paulie."

I _almost_ said please. Sadness was just not an emotion that suited his face and I felt my heart sting at the obvious upset I was causing him, but this was madness. I didn't know the guy, and yet he was hanging around and acting like I was something to him. With a shock, I realised that maybe he was now claiming me as his own little incubator. Well, sorry, buddy. I'm only willing to loan myself out to one wolf. Speaking of, the door burst in a second later, Paul illuminated by the light from the hallway.

"If she wants to see me, let me see her," he ground out, eyes tight and fists balled at his side.

"I do want to see you," I assured him, eyes following him as he stepped further into the room. He stopped before he reached my bed but made no move to come towards me. "You have some explaining to do."

"Annie, I'm sorry...what happened, it...it's difficult to explain," he tried, unable to look me directly in the eye, but choosing a spot directly to my left.

"Humour me," I probed, unflinching in my attempt to get the truth. Was I really going to have to say it?

"It's my fault," Seth supplied, and I had almost forgotten he was here. "I'm the one who got you hurt."

"You, or the giant wolf you turn in to?" I tested, and I was rewarded for my gamble.

Both men spluttered and seemed shocked, looking to one another in an attempt to figure out what the hell just happened. Both began talking rapidly, the name Jacob being thrown around a lot. My head was too fuzzy to try and figure out what each was saying, so I waited for them to shut up before I continued.

"Yes I know, I've known for a while," I revealed, eyes glued to Paul as he hung his head. "It's weird and creepy and I don't like it, especially if it ends up with me in the hospital. As soon as they release me, I'm out of here."

"NO!" This time, it was Seth with the outburst, diving forward to grab my hand again. I flinched and looked at Paul for help but he simply stared at Seth, something unreadable swimming in his eyes. "No, you can't go."

"Why the fuck not?" I argued, my anger beginning to rise again. The monitor beside me beeped, and understanding seemed to dawn on Seth. Immediately his shoulders relaxed and an easy smile filled his face.

"I want to get to know you more, that's all," he explained, as if he was merely asking me over for a cup of tea rather than to hang around a bunch of shape-shifting idiots.

"Do you want to eat me?" I questioned, both Paul and Seth looking at me like I had five heads. "Impregnate me with your wolf-human babies?"

"What? No," Paul finally spoke, though he had this look on his face like a rock had just fallen from the sky and plonked him on his head. "Is that why you think I've been spending time with you?"

"I figured it was something like that," I shrugged, forgetting my injuries and twinging my shoulder. "I mean, I know I'm amazing at sex and all, but it was a little too good to be true."

"Can we not talk about that?" Seth ground out, muscles popping along his jaw. What the hell?

"Are you jealous?" I teased but was rewarded with silence from both men. "Ok, what the hell is going on, really?"

"It's hard to explain, even more so than the wolf thing," Paul offered, scratching the back of his neck in obvious discomfort. "We'll have to try and get one of the elders on the council to explain the full story to you, so you understand."

"I don't give a damn about stories, or other mythical creatures, or any of that bullshit." I ground out "I just want to know why I had a bench flipped on me, and why there's a dude who will not stop touching me!"

For emphasis, I tugged my hand away again, and Seth looked like he had been slapped. Again.

"For all I care, my sparkly eyes doctor could be a fairy or a merman or a blood-sucking vampire. Sue could be the fairy godmother. It doesn't matter. I want to know the truth, and I want to be released so I can get the hell away from here and from you lot." Both of them had the decency to look ashamed, hanging their heads as they accepted their scolding. A sudden thought hit me and, with my inhibitions already out the window, I voiced it. "Is this some weird mate thing?"

"M-mate thing?" Seth questioned, the question seemed to make him entirely uncomfortable. Ah ha, gotcha.

"Are you going to pee on me now?" I probed, watching his face closely as, for the first time, he actively tried to avoid my gaze. "What, am I some sort of fuck-toy to be passed from one wolf to another?"

"Annie, God no," Paul assured me, finally stepping close enough so he could grasp the end of my bed. He looked hurt and confused. "It's so much more complicated than that, but trust me, not once have I ever used you for something like that."

"So no one is going to pee on me?" I clarified, suddenly this being my number one priority. If this was a weird mate thing, where did that leave me? "Am I someone's beta now?"

"Why did I never notice how smart you are?" Paul huffed, dragging a hand down his face. "You're not a beta."

"Alpha then?" I switched my gaze to Seth who had fallen entirely quiet. "I can be a dominatrix, but I'm gonna need a lot of compensation for that."

"Just stop talking!" Seth ground out, and I could finally see some irritation there. But, surprisingly, he was glaring at Paul rather than me. "We need to explain everything, properly, once Jake gets here."

"Look, Seth, this isn't my fault," Paul began, finally starting to get to the root of the problem. "Trust me, if I had known-"

"I know, okay?" Seth seemed more exhausted now, his shoulder slumping forward. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "I know this isn't anyone's fault, but that doesn't make this suck any less than it does."

"What, are you guys in trouble now since I know your secret?" I questioned, the possibility of being punished for knowing this secret not even occurring to me.

"I wish that was the least of our worries," Paul assured me. And why was he not even trying to console me? That I cared, I could handle myself, but it seemed so out of character for him.

My reply was interrupted by Pauls' phone buzzing, He hurried to answer it, pulling the small device from one of the pockets of his cargo pants. I waited impatiently as he 'uh-huh' and 'mmhmm'' -ed to the person on the other end. He frowned, clearly someone was saying something he didn't like, and he glanced at Seth. What this boy had anything to do with this situation, apart from the fact that he was the one that hurt me, I didn't know, but it was beginning to get very, very irritating.

"That was Jacob," he clarified once the call ended. "He'll be here in ten minutes. He suggested I leave the room, but it's ultimately up to Annie."

"You can stay," I said immediately. Paulie was the only one who had my back - I hope - in this crazy group of dudes. Seth seemed annoyed at the idea, but Paul simply crossed his arms but stayed at the end of my bed. "Is everyone in the group a wolf-thing then?"

"Wolf-thing?" Seth questioned, frowning slightly. "All of the boys - and Leah - shift into wolves if that's what you're asking."

"Wow, that would explain a lot," I concluded, annoyed that Seth simply assumed that I was talking to him. "No wonder she's so angry."

"She's actually angry for an entirely different reason," Seth defended, but he seemed annoyed that he had to stick up for his sister. "You'll understand once we explain the situation to you."

"I don't know if I'll ever understand that girl," I reasoned, shifting slightly so I could get more comfortable.

Seth was immediately at my side, lifting my head for me and fixing my pillows. He checked the IV drip and readjusted my arms so it lay across me at a more comfortable angle. I tried to protest against it, but he simply shushed me, smiling happily as he checked me over. If he was like this as a doctor, I would rather be left to my own devices than be admitted to his hospital.

"Is this where you work?" I found myself asking, watching as he checked my vitals on the machine.

"Yup, I'm an ER doctor here," he spoke, seemingly proud about his profession. It was like he was a different person when he was happy, the way he was when he first arrived at Emily's or now when he was doing his work. It made him less attractive in my opinion, as I had previously said, but it made him seem more _himself._

Before I had another chance to question him further, or continue my mental deconstruction of his character the door opened again and in stepped Mr Boss Man, looking entirely exhausted and angry. His eyes trailed from Paul to Seth by my bedside, to eventually land on me. I couldn't help but swallow slightly, worried about what was to come.

"Okay," he began, immediately business-like and shutting the door behind him. "Would someone like to tell me what the hell happened?"

 _ **I know this is quite a close update to the previous one but, I am heading away for the next few days, and will be gone for the weekend. I wanted to give you guys something until I return and can update again. Thank you to kpopdramalover123, Windwoman, Littlecosma001, and Eslynn for the feedback, it is very much appreciated.**_

 ** _Until then,_**

 _ **Bram**_


	8. Chapter Eight

_"Would someone like to tell me what the hell happened?"_

"Jacob, they want to pee on me," I began, not able to stand the tension that had escalated in the room. Seth was still all goo-goo eyed for me, while Paul was frowning like I'd told him we'd never have passionate hugging again.

"They what?" He questioned, focusing his attention on me. "How're you feeling?"

"Much better, now that I have my good friend morphine," I tried not to show my surprise at his questioning after my wellbeing. Where had all his grumpiness gone?

"You're lucky Seth was there," he began, uncrossing his arms and stepping further into the room, the door shutting softly behind him.

"Oh yeah, so lucky," I could feel a temper tantrum on its way. "Being impaled by a stray bench piece was exactly how I wanted to spend my Friday evening."

Seth had the decency to look ashamed and Paul looked livid. I tried to take a deep breath to calm myself, not wanting anyone bursting into a wolf any time soon. Which reminded me;

"Are you the alpha then?" I asked Jacob, surprised when he seemed a little shocked at my question.

"Damn, I knew you would be trouble," he began, reaching up to ruffle the back of his incredibly short hair. At that moment, he looked younger than I'd ever seen him. "Yes, I'm the alpha of the pack."

"Do you want to pee on me too?" I was beginning to worry if this was actually going to happen. Just because Paul said it didn't, doesn't mean shit here.

"What? No!" He seemed appalled at the idea, and I trusted that. "Why are people peeing on you?"

"Because I'm their beta-meta mate," I shrugged, yet again twinging my shoulder and sending Seth into another flurry of hands.

"Their what? What have you told her?" He demanded, and _finally,_ someone was looking at Seth with the kind of anger I felt.

"She figured out the wolf thing on her own," Paul defended, barely glancing at me now that his Alpha Papa was in the room. "We haven't told her anything else yet."

"So, Mr Boss Man," I began, settling myself up for a round of hard bargaining. Fingers crossed I get impregnation rather than meal supplement. "What happens now? What do I need to know about you wolf-boys?"

"Firstly, you need to get better," He began, and he actually looked like he was concerned for my well being. Yup, definitely becoming an incubator. "Your injuries look serious. Secondly, we need to have a conversation about this whole situation. Normally, we'd let imp-people hear the legends at the bonfires. But, considering the circumstances, I think we can bend that rule for once."

"Cool, rule-breaking is one of my specialities," I confirmed, prepping my brain to focus on the information I was about to be given.

"Really? I never would have been able to tell," Jacob commented, and I was surprised at the biting sarcasm. Maybe he wasn't as bad as I thought he was. That, and the fact that I was naturally drawn to men of power. "What I'm about to tell you, are tribe secrets. You can't just go tell anyone you want."

"Who would believe me?" I argued, frowning at the idea of trying to convince people that these guys turned into a bunch of wolves. "I've been to the looney bin once, I don't want a replay."

"You have?" Seth piped up, concern filling his features.

"I pled insane rather than guilty in a case," I responded, a little shocked at my own honesty. "Juvie did not sound like any sort of fun."

"Putting that aside for future discussions," Jacob cut in before Seth could question me more. The boy seemed like he had a million and one questions for me, but it was clear Mr Boss Man did not have the time. "Yes, members of the pack can turn into wolves. We protect the tribe from our natural enemies, the cold ones."

"Mummies?" I swung a guess, trying to figure out what supernatural creatures were cold. "Frankensteins? Ooh, ooh, the undead."

"Got it in three," Paul commented, smiling slightly at me. There was the Paulie I knew and didn't love.

"Really? Like, reanimated undead or Dracula undead?"

"Dracula," Jacob clarified seemingly frustrated that this conversation was not going the way he wanted to. "Though they're not your typical vampires, there are a number of differences."

"Right, wolves to fight vampires, got it," I concluded. At this stage, I don't think there's anything they could surprise me with. That and the fact that I was stuck in the room with three of them, and injured, so where was I planning on going anyhow? "Anything else I need to know?"

"Well, there are these things called imprints," He began, repositioning himself at the end of the bed next to Paul and striking his signature 'arms folded' pose. "They're like the soul mates of the wolves. They're our mates, the person we are destined to spend the rest of our lives with. It's sort of like our reward for protecting the tribe. We would do anything for our imprint, and their safety is our number one priority."

"Nope, I don't like it," I decided immediately. Soul mate, are you kidding me?

"It's not something we can control," Paul began, anger creeping into his tone. "Imprints just happen, we don't get any say in the decision."

"Emily is Sam's," I concluded, watching as Jacob glanced at Seth. "Well, holy fuck."

"Listen, it's not a big deal," Seth began, turning to smile at me. "Imprints are our perfect match, we're guaranteed to make each other happy and whole. It's something every wolf dreams about, your forever person."

"Forever person?" I mocked, suddenly hating Seth more than I had up until this point, bench breaking included. "So what, you're telling me that despite not even knowing me or having ever been inside my vagina, I'm your forever person?"

Paul struggled to keep in his laugh, while Seth looked like he'd been punched in the stomach. Jacob cleared his throat and attempted to continue his explanation but I was having none of it. What the hell? So not only was I an incubator, but I was an incubator chosen by fate? And there was absolutely nothing I could do about it?

"So hang on, if I'm Seth's imprint and I'm meant to be his priority, how come tonight happened?" I questioned, glancing between Jacob and Paul since Seth was clearly useless in this situation. I'm pretty sure he would just tell me whatever I wanted to hear.

"Sometimes, we can find it difficult to control our anger, to control our wolf," Paul began, and he actually looked slightly embarrassed. "Considering how you had met the group, Annie, Seth got a little upset."

"Upset?!" I screeched, finally letting my temper flare. "So because he's a fucking child that can't keep his anger in check, I get the shit end of the deal?"

"Annie," Seth spoke, trying to reach for me but deciding that it probably wasn't the best idea. "I'm so, so sorry. I can never forgive myself for hurting you. I would never do it on purpose. I shouldn't have let myself get so angry, I've never been that angry."

"Yeah, well, you obviously suck at being a wolf," I spat, though the comment made my chest squeeze painfully. "So I'm just fucked and connected to you forever? How do I get out of this?"

"There is no out," Jacob spoke, and he seemed just as annoyed about the situation as I was. "This is it. As far as we know, there's no way to break the imprint. You can deny it, but it will only hurt you both in the end."

"Well, fuck," I concluded, my head falling back against the pillows as the reality of the situation finally hit me. Not only had I found myself in the middle of a _pack,_ but I was the predestined soul mate of one of the members of said pack. Oh, and I also had been having coitus with one of the other members, the one I'm not the soul mate of.

"It's a difficult situation," Jacob concluded, sighing heavily. "But, we can work it out. First, we need to make sure you're safe and recover fully. You're one of our own now, and we take care of our imprints."

"So, what, I belong to Seth now?" It's not that I hadn't belonged to someone before, mob guys were all about property. But this seemed a little more serious than simply owning someone.

"No!" Seth assured me, and it was the first time he had said something that I actually felt positive about. "I don't own you or anything like that Annie. I just want to get to know you, to make you happy, and be there for you in whatever capacity you need me."

"What if I want to stay with Paul?" I asked, and he seemed sick at the idea. "Or leave?"

"I don't think I could handle that," He admitted, and his honesty shocked me. "It would be too difficult for me to deal with. You have to understand, we grew up hearing these stories. We've all thought about our imprint and wanted ours since we realised what it meant for us. I'm so sorry about what has happened, but please give me a chance."

"I'll think about it," I concluded, unable to agree with what he wanted, but seeing no other way out of this. "Wait, Emily's face..."

"Sam lost control," Jacob supplied, his voice strained. "We all know how dangerous it can be for us to lose our temper around the imprints or anyone who isn't a wolf. What happened tonight should not have happened. As their alpha, I apologise."

I was at a loss for words, a first for me. What are you supposed to say to the alpha? Fair enough, the pack had never been something I cared about beyond wondering whether they would eat me or not, but now they were trying to tell me that, in a roundabout non-wolf way, I was a part of them? I'd been part of gangs and groups before, it was usually how I survived. But this spelt trouble, and my instincts were telling me to run the other direction. So I shocked even myself with the next words out of my mouth:

"Fine, I'll stick around," I agreed, and for Seth, it looked like Christmas had come early.

"This is great, thank you," he concluded, his earlier transgressions entirely forgotten it seemed. "You'll be safe here with us, I promise. We'll take care of you."

"I don't need to be taken care of," I grumbled, pulling at the tassel at the edge of my blanket, feeling very uncomfortable with his sweet tone. "I'm just saying that there's clearly no way out of this, so it'll probably be easier for everyone if I just come quietly."

"We have company," Paul interjected, his shoulders rising and his stance becoming rigid.

A second later the door opened _yet again_ and the fairy doctor from before stepped into the room. His honey coloured eyes trailed from Jacob to Paul, to Seth, and finally landed on me. His smile was dazzling as he approached the bed, both Jacob and Paul moving out of his way. My eyes narrowed as I stared at him, something off-putting about his stature and his inhuman looks.

"You're not human, are you?" I questioned, beating him to it. His mouth closed as I interrupted his greeting, but the smile never left his face.

"No, I'm afraid I'm not," he concluded, glancing at Jacob. "I suppose you have been informed of the situation?"

"If by the situation you mean the pack of wolf-men, then yes," I concluded, though Jacob threw me a harsh glare. Ok, so I had to work on how brazen I was with calling people out on their non-humanness. He took his place at the other side of the bed, watching the numbers on the machine and reaching forward to place his hand on my forehead. He was cold.

"Holy shit you're a vampire," I was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable, the heart rate monitor beeping sporadically. "Do you work here for free blood? No wonder there are so many adverts asking for blood donations if the vampires are drinking it all."

He _laughed at me._

"Seth!" I swung my attention to the man on the other side of my bed, who was trying his best to hide his smile. "Do your wolfy thing. Eat the vampire."

"You are very observant," the doctor - vampire - complimented me. "But I do not feed on human blood. I was hoping Seth would have explained that to you by now. My family and I are vegetarians, and live off animals."

"That's not how being a vegetarian works, buddy."

"Apologies Carlisle," Seth spoke, placing his hand on my shoulder it what he probably assumed was a comforting gesture. "I hadn't gotten around to explaining about your family yet."

"You're not very good at your jobs, are you?" I threw the question at both Jacob and Paul. "You can't have a vampire running around in a hospital, causing shenanigans."

"We have a pact with the Cullens," Jacob explained, and even he seemed to find this amusing. "They don't threaten our people or the people of Forks, and so we allow them peace on their land. With Seth now living off the reservation and working here, we have allowed even more understanding."

"And Jacob imprinted on a member of the Cullens," Paul supplied but flinched when Jacob smacked his upper arm. "What, you think she wouldn't have figured that out when she met Nessie?"

"What does the Loch Ness monster have to do with anything?" I questioned, by now ignoring the doctor/vampire/Carlisle as he read through my chart and adjusted my morphine. "Does he wanna bang me too?"

"That's what we call Renesme," Jacob provided, a small blush appearing under the dark skin tone along his cheeks. "Though she's grown out of the nickname the older she gets."

"I'm so confused," I concluded, laying back again and closing my eyes. I may be quick to figure things out, but I was not prepared to have a history lesson on the pack and the Cullens. "Carlisle ( _snort),_ how do you manage to be around the blood then?"

"Many years of practice," He supplied happily, and I could feel his frozen fingers at the site where my IV pierced my skin. This caused my eyes to open and zero in on his movements. I may now believe the guys, but that didn't make me an idiot. "I barely notice the scent now."

"How do I smell?" I asked, more curious than anything.

"Quite pleasant, under the stench of the morphine," He complimented, though I couldn't notice the fact that he glanced at Seth after he said it.

"Ah, good," I responded, my brain slowly turning to mush and allowing my sass to run on autopilot. "I used to worry about the wolves eating me, now all I have to worry about is being sucked dry by vampires."

"The situation is comparable," Carlisle agreed, seemingly entertained by my nonsense.

"Comparable and unbelievable," I continued, watching his face as he made a few notes on my chart. "But if all vampires are as hot as you are, I think I'm ok with that."

"Thank you for your kindness," he smiled another dazzling smile as he returned my chart to the end of my bed, ticking his pen back into the pocket of his doctor's jacket. "I'd like to keep you overnight for observation, but we should be able to allow you home in the morning, Violet."

"Violet?" Paul and Jacob both questioned, Paul even moving forward to snatch my chart off the end of my bed.

"Wow, thanks Vamp," I muttered, Carlisle's answering laugh following him out into the corridor as he left me with the three wolves.

"Your real name is Violet?" Seth asked, turning from the door and back to me.

"Yup, if that's what it says," I agreed, no longer having the energy to try and come up with a story. He was my apparent soul mate anyway, he should probably know my real name.

"I prefer Annie," Paul muttered. "But Violet suits you in a weird way."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," I spat, irritated at everyone. I just wanted to be a left alone to my own devices, and now I had a soul mate and a pack and I didn't want any of it. Plus, my stomach was beginning to ache, the way a newly healing stab wound did. "I don't like it, I don't want to be called it."

"Annie it is then," Paul agreed, elbowing Jacob in the side who simply nodded.

"I'd like to call you Violet," Seth spoke softly, glancing at me shyly.

"Yeah? Well, I'd like to be on the next bus out of here and free of this madness, but who the fuck gives a damn what I want?"

"I do," was his immediate response. "I just can't give you that right now. But if you give me a chance, I'm sure I can give you what you do need. It's my job."

"Whatever," I grumbled, tired of fighting, and decided that a nap was the perfect opportunity to avoid this conversation.

"Get some rest, Annie, and we'll come to see you later." Jacob took the hint and I heard two sets of footsteps head for the door. "Sue has been asking about you, and I'm sure some of the guys would like to come to see you when you're up for more visitors."

I stayed where I was, eyes closed, and simply waved in his direction. The door shut quietly behind them, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I almost had heart failure when the chair squeaked next to me, and I realised Seth must have decided he was staying. Was it a rule that the wolves had to be with their soul mates twenty-four seven?

"Are you going to stay?" I asked, finally opening my eyes and turning to stare at him.

"If you want," he smiled, staring at my face like I was the best thing he's ever seen.

"I don't care either way," I responded, and tried to get comfortable again. He had obviously learned and made no move to help or fluff my pillows again. "I'm going to sleep anyway."

"Well, I'll be here when you wake up," I suppose he thought that was reassuring.

"Don't hold your breath."

* * *

I'm presuming he took my advice because it was his low, hushed voice that woke me sometime later. He was talking with someone, a female voice answering him, and curiosity got the better of me. When I opened my eyes, I was pleased that someone had dimmed the lights so there was no stinging effect, thankfully. The blinds were still closed, and I still had no idea what time of the day or night it was. The person who had been speaking to Seth was, surprisingly, Sue. She sat beside him, whispering quietly to him. So I wouldn't make them feel awkward by discovering that I had been awake for a while, I made a show of yawning, sitting up, and rubbing my eyes. Damn, I was an amazing actress.

"Hi Sue," I greeted, smiling at the older lady. She was probably the only person in all of this mess that I was happy to see. And that did not sit well with me.

"Hi Violet, how're you feeling sweetheart?" She turned from Seth and leaned across the bed to capture my hand in her own. Her hand was soft and warm, and I was unnerved by how comforting the gesture was.

"Much better," I concluded, realising that my stomach had dulled to a slight sting, my shoulder gone slightly numb. "But I thank the drugs for that."

She laughed, her eyes crinkling at the sides. Sue was, in my opinion, the definition of what a mom should be. She was warm, beautiful, and absolutely terrifying.

"You've had a rough couple of hours," She sympathised, brushing some loose strands of hair off my face. I could feel a lump in my throat as she left her hand rest at the side of my cheek. "If you need anything, you'll let me know?"

"I will," I _hated_ how small my voice sounded. I was trying to hold back tears and I hated myself for it.

"I know this is a lot to take in," She continued, her hand returning to mine. "But I want to let you know I'm on the council, so if you need anything, or wish to discuss anything that the boys have told you, you can come to me."

"Thank you," I all but whispered, biting my lip to try and stop the tears. There was no fucking way I was about to cry in front of this woman.

"I'm sorry this happened to you," She apologised, suddenly not able to meet my eyes. "I used to worry that Leah was the one with the temper. I should have been able to calm Seth down or stop it from going as far as it did. I'm so sorry you got hurt."

"It's not your fault," I assured her, finding my voice again. "I understand why Seth got mad but I can't help but think he should have handled his anger better. But no one meant for it to happen. And you definitely are not responsible."

She nodded, but I wondered if anything I had said had actually registered with her. What I had said was true; Sue was in no way responsible for what had happened. Now that the guys had explained it, and I had a chance to catch some sleep, I had realised that I could kind of, just a little bit, maybe just a tad, understand how Seth had felt. But that in no way gave him an excuse for doing what he did. At least he seemed apologetic, however, and it hadn't ended as badly as Sam and Emilys' apparent argument. For Emily's face anyway, their relationship seemed absolutely perfect.

"Anyway," she continued, her smile returning again to her face. "Your job is still there for you if you'd still like it and, once you're released tomorrow, if you're not comfortable staying with Seth, I have plenty of room at my house."

The last part caught me. I was expecting to move in with _Seth?_ Stupidly, I had believed that I would be able to go back to Paul's house, but now I realised how difficult that would have been. Sue was too dangerous to live with. Who knew what kind of shit I'd end up telling that woman; probably my whole god damn life story. It made me very uncomfortable with how at ease I was around her, and how much she made me feel like a little girl. She was to be avoided at all costs, and so making myself at home in her house was a major no. Seth may have thrown a bench on me, but I wasn't in any danger of bearing my soul to him. Sue, on the other hand, was like a walking truth machine. And I'm sure the cop, Chris or whatever his name was, spent a lot of time over at hers. I wasn't too keen on getting to know a member of the police force that intimately. Yes kiddies, sometimes you could use corrupted cops to your advantage, especially if you managed to be hot and they didn't get any from their wives. But this guy seemed to have the hots for Sue, and that he followed the rules to the letter. And so, he was useless and nothing but trouble for me. So, another major no.

"I'll be fine with Seth," I concluded, said boy snapping up to look at me. I wondered how he didn't break his neck, moving that quickly.

"You will?"

"Well, I'm your soul mate right?" I shrugged, trying not to vomit at the term soul mate and how uncomfortable it made me feel. "How bad can it be?"

 _ **Thank you to twin268, Windwoman, Twin68, and lucefatale for the reviews. They are very much appreciated, and it is always great to know that people seem to be enjoying my little story. On a side note, do you, as a reader, have a preferred day for updates? I work shifts that change weekly but usually get Monday-Tuesday/Tuesday-Wednesday off from work. Either way, I'm happy to update any day once I have the chapter written and edited. If anyone does feel quite strongly about an update day, then please let me know.**_

 _ **Until then,**_

 _ **Bram**_


	9. Chapter Nine

"I'm telling you, I don't need a wheelchair," This was about the fourth time I'd repeated this sentence, but Seth still didn't seem to be listening.

A nurse, some redhead who seemed completely fine with making very obvious doe eyes at Seth, was waiting near the door, the contraption in front of her. To emphasise my point, I kicked my legs up from where they hung off the side of my bed. Seth seemed intent on getting me out of this hospital in the most embarrassing way possible. There wasn't a chance I was allowing myself to be wheeled out.

"It's the top half of me that's broken, not the bottom," I reminded him, frowning when he looked like he was about to argue. "No, Seth. I don't need it."

"Fine," he gave in, waving away the nurse. He did offer her an apologetic smile as she was leaving, which made her perk up, even more, pressing her breasts forward until she resembled a meerkat. "Are you sure there isn't anyone we should contact before we go? Siblings? Parents?"

"Only child I'm afraid," I began, knowing that he wasn't going to drop it until I actually gave him an answer. The last few hours with Seth had proven that he was annoyingly determined to make sure that I was okay. "The bitch is probably six feet under, and the sperm donor might as well be president of the United States for all I know."

Seth flinched at my words and didn't answer, unlacing my shoes for me so I could step into them. I was too short to reach them where he had left them on the ground, so he lifted them to my feet and laced the canvas shoes for me. The gesture made my stomach squirm uncomfortably, his vulnerability around me shocking and unwelcomed. It was annoying in a way, to know that he was only doing this because of some voodoo magic and not because of his own free will. The more time I had to think about this whole destiny mate thing, the more I disliked it. For all I know, Seth could already have had his eye on someone, was working away with his life, and enjoying who he was. And then I waltz in and all of a sudden I'm his first priority.

"Does it bother you?" I found myself asking, watching as he made two bunny ears with the laces, crossing them and looping them under one another. "This whole mate thing?"

"The imprint?" He clarified, glancing at me briefly before moving to my other shoe. "Not at all. It's something I've always looked forward to having. I know it can be devastating for some; Leah lost the person she loved because of it. But I've seen how happy all the guys are who have one, and I can't help but be a little envious of that. I could never have imagined loving someone that much, and finding someone so perfect for you."

"I didn't know what had happened to Leah," Made a little more sense why she was such a bitch now. "Was it Sam?"

"How are you so good at guessing these things?" He sat back on his heels, having finished with my shoes. "She still finds it a little difficult, but it's gotten easier since Sam has stopped phasing. She hated how much everyone pitied her."

"I'm just observant," I defended, not wanting him to get the idea that I was some sort of genius or something. "I mean, you think she'd get over it by now. No reason to be such an asshole to everyone."

"Trying telling her that," he chuckled, standing and offering me his hand. I simply slid off the bed myself, readjusting the too-big t-shirt that Mr Boss Man had brought me. "There's a lot we have to talk about, so much you need to know."

"Well, considering I'm housebound until I heal, we have a lot of time," I groaned, realising that I was setting myself up for listening to Seth's whole life story.

"Listen," He began, his eyes tightening as he looked at me. "I want to get to know you. You're my imprint, my perfect match. I want you to be happy and feel safe with me, no matter how long that takes."

God damn it, heart, calm the fuck down. We are not doing this, we are not falling for this babyfaced wolf-man who has no sense of personal space. He ties our shoes one time, it's not like I'm in love with him or anything. That was something I just didn't do. Sure, I liked people and enjoyed having fun times with them - Paul was proof of that - but deeper feelings was one thing I did not do. Life was so much easier that way. So as soon as I was better, or when the opportunity presented itself, I was out of here. I'd have to make sure the pack wouldn't be able to hunt me down and bring me back kicking and screaming, so it was going to take a whole lot of planning and learning the enemy.

"You're ready to go?" Seth asked, continuing to smile that 'you're the best thing I've ever seen' idiotic blinder he had going on.

"Yup," I popped, knowing that I didn't own anything to have left anything behind. Paul had let me know earlier, through Jacob since he was no longer visiting me, that he had dropped off my bag at Seth's house already.

Seth lived off the reservation - with special permission - and lived closer to Forks since it would be easier for him to get to the hospital when he was needed. He had explained that he hoped to open a clinic on the reservation soon, but that most inhabitants were happy with the nurses and doctors in Forks so there wasn't really a demand yet. Plus, he enjoyed working with Mr Fairy and the fellow doctors, so he didn't fancy creating his own staff. That and I presume that with the smaller population, doctors and nurses from the reservation would be a little hard to find.

"Carlisle said that he can take care of your checkups, if you'd like," Seth made conversation as we left the room. As we walked down the corridor, a couple of nurses threw glances in our direction. Hateful, you're taking the guy I wanna fuck, glances. "I didn't think you'd be comfortable with me doing it, and Carlisle has somewhat of a clinic in his own home, so it would save you having to come back to the hospital."

"That'd be nice," And it would be. I hated hospitals and the snooty nurses and the fucking paperwork.

Thankfully, since Seth was something of a deal here - or so it seemed - he had been able to fill out the paperwork earlier for me, saving me the headache of answering all of the unnecessary questions like medical contacts, address, things like that. He also assured me that he would sort out something with his own insurance, which was nice of him. I mean, I was thankful and all, but he was going a little overboard with this whole 'taking care of me' thing. How did he think I managed before I met him? I know he hadn't been there the day at the diner. If he had, it probably would have saved us a lot of trouble. But he hadn't, and so he had no idea what I looked like when I first arrived on the reservation. So, why was he assuming so much responsibility? Was this all because of the soul mate, or was Seth actually this naive?

The thought was a little troubling as I waited for him at the reception desk, while he smiled and laughed with the nurse behind it. It didn't both me, which it probably should have. Being his imprint should have, presumably, made me a little jealous with how obvious she was in her flirtations. But really, she just looked a little idiotic. And Seth was happy and cheerful with anyone he met. So why was I suddenly so intent on watching them and convincing myself that it _wasn't_ bothering me?

"Violet?"

The use of my real name shocked me from my thoughts and I realised that Seth was now standing next to me, smiling down at me.

"Huh?"

"You're all set?" He probably had to repeat this part, but he didn't sound annoyed or anything.

"Oh, yeah, all good," I replied, annoyed at myself for my own line of thinking and the confusion that was currently working its way through my brain.

We stepped into an open elevator, Seth humming along to the classical music that was playing. It was Bach, one of his concertos played on a droning piano with an attempted and unnecessary cello accompaniment. It was slightly irritating to listen to, reminding me of a guy I used to run within Chicago; he adored anything classical and would attempt to bang out Bach on his own ivory grand piano. This recording wasn't much better.

"Why people attempt Bach when they could barely accomplish Hot Cross Buns is beyond me," I murmured.

"You know it's Bach?" Seth questioned his full attention on me now. Yet another thing that bothered me about Seth, he did everything one hundred per cent. He didn't allow himself any distractions so when he focused on you, it was his full attention. "Are you a fan of classical music? Can you play?"

"Nah, I can't play," I revealed, watching as the red number above the door counted down the floors. "I used to be with a guy who had a weird fetish for Bach."

"Oh," He seemed unhappy with the answer, and I couldn't help but think that this was going to be a common trend. I was going to be one unhappy answer after another. The thought was less than helpful. "Do you need to pick up anything before we head home?"

"Maybe some toiletries," I answered. Now that I was used to showers again, I had been planning on treating myself with my wages and buy some girl-things. "Actually, nevermind. I used this week's wages to buy my outfit for Friday night. I even owe Paul some out of my pay when I can get back to work."

"It's alright, I can get it," He assured me, allowing me to leave the elevator before him. It seemed like it had taken forever to reach the ground floor.

"I won't be able to pay you back for a while," I reminded him, feeling a little uncomfortable with his generosity. I wasn't beyond stealing, but when someone was this naive, it wasn't something that I gained any satisfaction from.

"It's alright," He assured me, nodding at a couple of doctors that we passed. "Pay me back whenever you can, if you feel like you have to at all. A couple of necessities aren't going to break the bank."

I muttered away to myself as we left the hospital, Seth stopping to talk to a number of people on the way out. It was freezing outside, and I couldn't help but shiver against it. This t-shirt, while nice of Mr Boss Man to have dropped in, was not exactly the best attire to wear in this kind of weather. It was raining, as usual, the sky a dull grey. I still had no idea what time of the day it was and was about to step out into the rain, when a weight fell across my uninjured shoulder. Seth smiled sheepishly at me, his arm wrapped gently around me. I could feel the heat seep through my skin and I couldn't help but step closer, his skin banishing the cold I had felt moments before.

"I parked over there," he spoke, his voice slightly hushed.

He had pointed in a vague direction, so I simply nodded and allowed him to lead me out into the lot. His car was different than what I was expecting; it was sleek and silver and looked relatively new. I knew nothing about cars, so don't even ask me what brand it was. Do cars even have brands? Are they models? Types? Who knows. This is why I didn't want Seth getting the wrong idea in terms of my intelligence. Anyway, his car was shiny and new and I was delighted to find, once inside, after he was a gentleman and opened the door for me, that he had heat seaters. This meant big money; only the higherups in gangs had seat heaters. My ass was about to be so toasty.

"You seem really happy about something," Seth commented, and I could feel his gaze on my face.

"Seat warmers!" I exclaimed before I could stop myself. "I love seat warmers."

My face flushed as he chuckled, starting up the car. It purred softly, nothing like Pauls' truck and the loud groans it made. This was new and quiet, and probably the kind that was good for the environment. Seth was an excellent driver, pulling out smoothly from his space and then out of the lot onto the main road. He continued to hum to an unknown tune, and I realised it was probably a habit of his. I wondered then if he ever stopped being cheerful. Was this a front for me, and for everyone, for us all to assume that he was happy? Or was he genuinely this carefree? I didn't really care enough about him to figure it out.

"Do you have any preference for dinner tonight?" he asked, breaking the silence. "I can pick something up while we're at the store."

"I don't mind, I'm pretty easy," was my response, smiling at my own innuendo.

We arrived at the main hub of Forks after a few minutes, the drive on the way quite pleasant. The same trees that lined the roads in the reservation were here in abundance, though they seemed less creepy and closed in. Maybe it was the lack of wolf-men running around in them. But it was still stupid nature. Forks itself was a little more lively and had a number of different options in terms of stores. Seth chose a general store to pull into, assuming it would be easier to get everything we needed under one roof. The rain had calmed until it was a drizzle, but he replaced his arm around my shoulder as we made our way to the door. Thankfully, the store itself was quite warm as I was beginning to miss the heat from the car. Though, and I _hate_ to admit this, Seth's warmth was welcomed and comforting.

"Okay, why don't you grab what you need and I'll try come up with some food?" Seth suggested, his eyes already focused on the aisles. "Or do you need a hand?"

"I'm sure I can find things on my own," I grumbled, not liking the feeling of being babysat. Although, I should probably expect this for the remainder of my stay with him, at least while I still have my cast, sling, and stitches. I couldn't help the sting of upset and guilt as Seth simply shrugged and wandered away from me.

Twenty minutes later and I was staring at an array of shampoos, conditioners, body washes, and lotions. I felt a little like a kid in a candy shop as I tried to find a scent that suited me. Was I spicy mango? Fruity tooty? Sultry cinnamon? What was my main hair concern? I knew I had curly hair, but I'd never actually bothered to take care of it. It seemed that any hair care that specialised in something was a lot more expensive. I decided against that and went back to browsing by scent instead. A chuckle from beside me broke my concentration, causing me to jump slightly.

"Need some help?" Seth asked, a basket by his side filled with groceries.

"I'm trying to decide my scent," I responded, turning back to reading labels. "Why is everything so expensive and so complicated?"

"Don't worry," he responded, placing his hand on my lower back. What was his obsession with touching me? Maybe another thing that I had to get used to. "Just get whatever you want."

"I have curly hair," I responded, glancing at some of the bottles that claimed the helped tame frizz and bring a bounce back to my curls. "And I think I want to smell like an orange."

Seth laughed and reached for the bottle that I had been staring at. He joined me in my label reading, flipping over the bottle so he could read the instructions on the back. It dawned on me how absolutely manic we must have looked, both reading bottles and trying to decide what I wanted to smell like.

"I don't really have anything," I confessed, feeling a little lost all of a sudden. "Can I get some shower stuff and a deodorant?"

"You get whatever you need," he reiterated, turning his gaze to me. Again, with this whole focus thing. "Just put it in the basket."

Feeling embarrassed both at my confession and my sudden shyness, I added the orange shampoo and conditioner for curly hair, a body wash of mango, some lotion, and a deodorant. Halfway down the aisle, he stopped at hairbrushes and picked one out that had specified it was for use with curly hair. Without a word, he added it to the basket and continued down the aisle. But I wasn't able to follow him.

A lump had formed in my throat as I watched his back, his head swinging from side to side as he perused the aisle. I'd been given cash before, bathed in diamonds and expensive gowns for mob use, given pleasure and cars, and access to bank accounts. But this, this simple act of him allowing me what I wanted and choosing something for me, made my heartache. I tried to blink back tears, horrified when one escaped. I was even more petrified when Seth turned, just in time to catch me wiping away the traitorous tear. Immediately he was frowning and walking back towards me.

"What's wrong?" He questioned, his tone gentle and calm.

"I miss my morphine," I answered, hating the lump that just wouldn't move. My stomach muscles strained in an attempt to stop myself from crying any further.

What the fuck was wrong with me recently? I had almost cried twice in the past couple of days now. First Sue, now Seth. My God, he was her son, and I was just as screwed around him as I was with her. Damn this freaky mate magic.

"I'll see what we can do," he responded, placing his hand on my arm, smiling faintly. "I picked up your painkillers from the hospital chemist anyway but if they don't work I'm sure Carlisle can prescribe something a little stronger."

"Okay," I responded, again feeling smaller and, horrifyingly, more vulnerable than I have in living memory.

"Do you need anything else?" he had turned back into the cheerful Seth, dropping his hand from my arm and straightening up. It should annoy me that he had to bend down in order to get close to me, but I couldn't help that I was a short-ass.

"I have everything I need," I replied, following him as we made out way out of the toiletries aisle, up the main one, and to stand in front of one of the registers.

The girl behind it was young, with deep brown eyes and rich brown hair. She was quite pale, with a scatter of freckles across her cheekbones. I was just thinking that she was quite pretty when her gaze turned towards Seth and her smile changed. And I immediately disliked her. Again, she did the meerkat thing that most women do in an attempt to make their figures as provocative as possible. Pouting her lips in a way that I assumed she thought made her look attractive, she began chattering away to Seth as he unloaded his basket and she began ringing through the items. I was annoyed, more so at myself, because what she was doing was annoying me. God damn mate magic bullshit.

"So I get off at six if you wanted to grab something at the diner?" She offered, fluttering her eyelashes in a way that just made it look like she had something caught in her eye.

"No thank you; I have a dinner guest this evening," he responded, gesturing towards me. I could feel my temper flare. Here I was, dirty with hospital germs and sweat dried hair, sling and cast, in an oversized t-shirt. I looked like a battered child that had been dragged through a bush, backwards.

"Oh, maybe some other time then," she giggled, clearly not intimidated by me.

I had to stop my thoughts; and why would she be intimidated by me? It wasn't like I was with Seth. I mean, sure, we were soul mates and all that, but we weren't _dating_ or anything. Not that I ever would. Dating was complicated and messy and something I just didn't do.

"Thank you but, I think I'm going to be busy for the next little while," he smiled, and gathered up the paper bags that he had filled with our purchases. "You ready to go?"

I nodded, paying more attention to the girls hate glare than anything. Was this a common thing among the guys in the pack; being hit on by every girl that they encountered? I also wondered if this was a common reaction amongst the other wolf-mates. Did they all feel uncomfortable and disgruntled at how women acted around their mate? I tried to keep this mental dialogue of logic going as we stepped back out into the cold and to the car. Seth insisted I sit into the car while he loaded the bags in the trunk. I'm sure if I was someone who could actually make friends, I could talk to the other soul sisters about this and see how they handled these sort of situations.

"You okay in there?" Seth asked, getting himself settled into the driver's seat and starting back up the engine.

"Just lost in thought," I concluded, waiting for the seat to start up its job and heat my butt.

I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, more so than before I knew all the pack secrets. If only I had run before the group dinner, then I couldn't be in this situation. If only I had listened to my intuition like I used to. But if only was a bunch of bullshit. The only thing that I could do now was to figure out the best way out of this. I had to keep my ear to the ground and learn everything I could. My previous plan was more concrete now; I had to find a way out. Another wave of unexplained and irritating guilt cause an uncomfortable tightening in my chest.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Seth tried again, obviously uncomfortable with the slightly strained silence.

"I was thinking what would be the best way to cook me," I tried. This had been a previous thought, so it wasn't like it was a full lie. He didn't specify which thoughts he wanted. "I'm thinking frying would be the best way to go."

"Why are you being cooked?" He questioned, sounding a little alarmed at my train of thought.

"Before I knew about the pack, and just knew about Paul, I assumed that I was going to be eaten by everyone," I confessed, again shocked at how easily the truth came when Seth asked a question. Damn him and the stupid beta mate.

"And you still came to dinner?" He continued, frowning slightly but keeping his eyes on the road. Finally, he does some multitasking.

"I didn't see a way out," I responded, and then admitted the one thing I shouldn't have. "Plus, it's not a big deal if I do die."

The car swerved violently, and Seth had to pull into the side of the road, his hands shaking slightly. He didn't even bother to switch off the engine, instead, twisting in his seat to face me.

"Don't you ever, ever say that again," he ground out, brows furrowing. I'd never seen him this angry before, even at the dinner.

"Why? It's not-"

"Yes it is!" he was shouting now, his voice too loud for the small space. I was shocked.

It must have been my expression, because a second later, he hung his head, running one of his hands across his face. His shoulders slump, and he sits back against his seat, breathing deeply. The shakes stop in his arms, and I wonder if he was close to going all wolf on me.

"Please," he began, his voice a lot softer than before. "Please don't ever say that. You may not believe me, but you're an important person. I want to know you and be there for you. So please, please value your life as much as I do."

And that was that. He said nothing more and pulled back out onto the road. Again, I felt shocked and my heart beat painfully loud in my chest. No one had ever said something like that to me. It was probably all bullshit, but a part of me - probably the part ruled by the soul mate - wanted so hard to believe him. I valued myself, in a self-preservation up until a point kind of way, but I wasn't sure if I'd ever put as much worth on myself as Seth had just done. He didn't know me. In fact, he knew nothing about me apart from my name, and yet he got so, so angry when I suggested my own inadequacy. But that wasn't him, was it? Was that the fake soul mate bullshit speaking? Was this truly the person he was if left to his own devices? How could one person care so much? This magic mate nonsense was messing with my mind, and I was suddenly unable to decipher my own emotions and Seth's character because of it. Did I actually care that he cared or was it the imprint that made me care about him caring? And would I care to figure out why I cared or should I just put it down to the magic?

Well, I was well and truly fucked now.

 _ **Thank you to everyone for the feedback on the previous chapter; it is very much appreciated. For now, I'll just update chapters as I have them finished. I'm getting back into writing a lot more so updates will hopefully be frequent. Thank you to littlecosma001, kpopdramalover123, lucefatale, Twin268, Twin68, and Eslynn. Thanks again to you all.**_

 _ **Until the next chapter,**_

 _ **Bram**_


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